The Shadows of Your Heart
by Rise of the Blossom
Summary: "Think of this as your first s-ranked mission," murmured her shishou, her amber eyes piercing as they narrowed. "Should you fail, it will be the end of Konoha."
1. Prologue

**Rated M for a reason. Non-mass.**

**The Shadows of Your Heart  
By: Rise of the Blossom**

* * *

**Prologue**

"_Medic!"_

Damn it…

Gritting her teeth, she strengthened the flow of chakra, eyes fixated on the motionless body laying beneath her.

"_Medics!"_

_I'm trying!_

Her hands shook, tears filling her eyes.

He wasn't responding.

Around them, the ground trembled, threatening to disappear beneath them, but somebody intervened, intercepting the attack and managing to divert it. It gave her the opportunity to target another of the many fatal injuries he had received while protecting them.

"_Medics!"_

_Shut up!_

"Don't die," she begged through clenched teeth. "Please._ Please_, don't leave me."

There was a blast somewhere behind them and she threw herself down to shield him from the debris that attacked them, hair obscuring her peripheral view, forcing her entire attention on the man below her, his bruised, bloody features making her heart lurch.

The second she believed it to be safe, she was up, once more attempting to stop the bleeding.

"Stay with me," she pleaded, stomach churning when she realised her knees were soaked, coated in a deep shade of red, similar to her hands and arms. "Don't die."

"_Medics!"_

Everyone was dying around her, their chakra signatures waning, flickering dangerously. Yet all she could focus on was his lifeless eyes staring at the canopy of trees above them, the sight chilling her to the bone.

_"Itachi!"_


	2. Don't Mess With My Freedom

**Chapter 1 – Don't Mess With My Freedom**

The initial shock of her impending marriage had somewhat worn off by the time of their first meeting.

At first, her parents hadn't wanted her to know anything until they began arranging the details with the groom's parents, truly believing in their screwed up minds that she would be _happy _with their choice. How the hell–

Okay, so while the shock had faded, anger had taken its place, but who could really blame her? She was being forced into a freaking arranged marriage like they were back in the stone ages. Foolishly, she'd believed it was only Suna that continued with the tradition. But no. Apparently her backwards parents also believed in the barbaric tradition.

While her parents had been unsettlingly warmer than usual towards her (not that they were ever cold, but there were no disagreements or lectures for once), Haruno Sakura liked to believe her morning had started off relatively normal. Dull, even. She certainly hadn't been expecting to be flung head first into a kaleidoscope of emotions that she couldn't even identify.

After returning from a three day mission, her only plans for that day were to relax and meet her friends for dinner. It'd been way too long since she'd spent any girl time with Ino and Hinata – something urgent always demanded her attention, whether it was a mission that only she could complete, or a surgery the hospital desperately needed her assistance with. But for once, they were all free.

Instead, she was informed that she would be meeting the man she would be marrying within the month.

Gods, Ino was going to throw a fit if she told her that the reason why she couldn't meet with her was because she was basically being sold to another family, through the pretence of a marriage.

For the longest time, she'd yelled at her parents, demanding to know what the hell they were playing at because their stupid prank wasn't funny in the slightest. Once she realised it wasn't a prank, the panic settled in. It terrified her. They were setting her up with a guy – his identity withheld until their first meeting, for fear of her running away beforehand – she more than likely knew nothing about. Not just setting up, but forcing her to marry him.

What if he hurt her? What if he was thrice her age? What if he was extremely traditional and stripped her of everything she'd earned over the years? What if she wasn't allowed to be who she was anymore, forced to become a compliant housewife?

To go against an arranged marriage wasn't illegal, but it was frowned upon. She would be ostracised. Even her standing in the village would grow shaky. It was the greatest disrespect.

Hands shaking, she clenched them into fists, following after her parents as they lead the way to the restaurant, which happened to be just down the street from their home. As it was neutral territory–

She smirked wryly. The fact that her mindset leaned towards looking at the arrangement as a battle told her all she needed to know.

The sight of the ostentatious restaurant had her blood boiling, its tinted windows refusing to allow those passing by the chance to peek inside, granting the customers peace while they ate their meals. Personally, she'd never visited the restaurant, though she knew Ino had been there on a date recently. According to her, the prices were fair, considering how luxurious it was.

But she didn't care about luxury. To her, the place symbolised the end of her freedom. It was where she would be receiving a life sentence, because that was how she felt. Marrying a man she didn't love – that she didn't even know – was similar to be slapped with a life sentence for a crime she didn't commit.

Their reasons for pushing her into marriage?

Her fists shook again.

It was because they believed she was wasting her life away in the hospital. They wanted her to retire from being a kunoichi, to settle down. Her mother had even given her the tired old lecture of having become a wife and mother by the time she was seventeen, informing her that her biological clock was ticking. Apparently, she wouldn't want to wait for too long.

Who did they think they were taking charge of her love life? Surely, they knew that by forcing her into a marriage–

She almost walked straight back out of the restaurant when they entered, her eyes immediately falling to the only other family residing there, everything else distant to her as her mind refused to take any of it in. Lips were moving, her parents no doubt greeting the other family politely, but she couldn't hear a word of it. Their two sons seemed equally stunned, meeting her gaze warily, making her stomach twist.

"What the hell have you done?" demanded Sakura quietly, snapping back into focus.

"Now, now, Sakura," her mother chided cheerfully, smiling to keep up pretences. Hands coming to her shoulders, she attempted to move her closer to the table, but she remained in her place of being frozen at the door. "Don't make a scene."

Don't make a scene? _Don't make a scene?_ Oh, she was going to do a hell of a lot more than _make a damned scene!_

"You're arranging a marriage between me and my teammate," she snarled, feet planting firmly into the plush carpet as she tried moving her once more. "Don't tell me not to make a scene!"

"Sakura, it's not-"

"You are not marrying Sasuke," their father interrupted, his gaze lidded, showing his boredom.

Her heart stopped, body tensing, allowing her mother to gain the upperhand as she manhandled her closer to the table. Seconds later and she was fighting again, stilling them.

"W-What?"

Her teammate's older brother met her eye, stating blandly, "You are marrying me."

No.

No way.

There wasn't a chance in hell that she was marrying Uchiha fucking Itachi. They could all go to hell.

"Greet your bride properly," Fugaku ordered.

It didn't matter to her that there was obvious reluctance in Itachi's body when he stood, taking several strides until he was halfway, stopping. She didn't care that he seemed just as against the marriage as she was.

"Sakura," her own father warned.

She didn't want to. She didn't want to be there. She didn't want their eyes on her, accusing her, demanding so… so goddamn much of her. She didn't want to give up everything she'd struggled for and earned to become the matriarch of the Uchiha clan. She didn't want to get married!

Stubbornly fighting her tears, she shrugged out of her mother's pushy hands, approaching Itachi with a tightly clenched jaw, coming to stand before him almost defensively, staring up at him like she was going to battle.

He was so much taller than herself, the difference in height only serving to add to the intimidation she felt in that moment, standing in his presence. The cold aura surrounding him certainly didn't help matters and from behind him, she heard his mother sigh, though paid her no mind, her gaze never leaving his, narrowing fractionally at the monotony in his expression.

Uchiha Itachi was a strange man – everyone knew that. He was unapproachable, always seen around the village yet always alone, unless accompanied by a close member of his family. Even his own clan was kept at arm's length, unless they chose to avoid contact with him.

Her fists clenched once more, attracting his attention to them, before Itachi languidly met her gaze once more, like he was questioning whether she was going to turn against him. She wondered the same thing.

She gritted her teeth.

He raised an eyebrow. "Will we stand here all day?"

"Will it change anything?" she questioned without any hope.

"No," Itachi replied simply. "My clan has already started preparations for our wedding."

Gods, she felt sick.

"So, if you will," he began and took a half-step back, body tilting towards the table, his hair preventing her from seeing his eyes when his head turned away. "Join us so that we can discuss arrangements. I have other places to be."

"Itachi-"

"Quiet, Sasuke," scolded Mikoto quietly.

Was there really any use in fighting it? Sakura stole a glance at their families, unable to deny the swell of helplessness that took over.

"Do I even have a say in anything?"

"Of course," he said at length, already returning to his seat at the table. "It is your wedding, also."

It was difficult telling whether he was experiencing the same anger as herself. She didn't even know the guy. All Itachi was to her, up until that moment, was a name. Was her teammate's older brother.

And now he was to be her husband.

She looked behind herself, defeated at her mother's encouraging smile and her father's indifference. Unlike herself, who'd refused to dress up as she was being sentenced, her parents were dressed in their finest yukata, wanting to make a good impression. It sickened her. They were dressing up to basically sell their daughter.

What choice did she have?

Swallowing down the overwhelming urge to scream at them all and at nothing in particular, Sakura turned back to the traditional table, sitting on her knees on the cushion. But even that was so out of place for her – her parents were modern, they'd chosen actual chairs that scraped on the wooden flooring whenever they were carelessly pulled out. All she had in that moment in time was a cushion, causing her knees to beg that she choose a different seating position. But to sit cross legged would take up too much room.

Seated across from Itachi, she was forced to meet his eye, stomach twisting at the apathy she could see in his tanned features.

How was she supposed to marry a man so unfeeling? So distant? There was nothing to be seen, to be shared, in those endless dark eyes. No gentleness like she'd hoped her future husband would have. No love. Hell, there wasn't even any tolerance in his eyes. There was nothing. She was marrying a man who felt nothing towards her.

She ignored her parents as her mother sat beside her, opposite Mikoto and her father at the other end of the table, directly opposite Fugaku.

"We will begin now," Fugaku declared and folded his arms over his chest.

Her attention was captured by a waiter who suddenly approached, silently going about his business, placing empty porcelain cups down in front of each guest. It was soon followed by a teapot, the steam from the spout giving her something else to focus on, although nothing in the world would drown out their words.

Whether it was due to her ignorance, or due to the fact it would grow cold, Mikoto reached out, pouring tea into each of their cups.

"The wedding will be on the last day of the month," he informed them. "I have already taken the liberty of requesting all participants to be taken off the mission rota for it."

If that was true, then that meant… "Tsunade-sama knows?" she asked quietly, weakly.

"We are arranging a marriage that will tie the Uchiha Clan closer to the village. A marriage between our heir and her apprentice," he replied, meeting her gaze steadily. "Of course she knows."

The sting of betrayal was enough to take her breath away and she clenched her jaw again, averting her gaze to the table.

In her mind, she was losing her shit. She was imagining what it would be like to scream at them until she was red in the face and her voice was hoarse. She was tearing the whole freaking restaurant apart, using whatever she could get her hands on as projectiles.

In reality, she sat in a feeble position, displaying her weakness for them all to see, head dipped and due to her lack of forehead protector, her bangs shielded her eyes. Her overall body language showed her defeat, her lack of choice. She was making it obvious that she was an unwilling participant in the marriage and how much it was breaking her to be a part of it.

Maybe if she appeared pitiful enough, they would cancel the whole thing?

Had she been younger, had it been before she mentally matured, maybe she would have been excited about being married. Perhaps she would have even been excited about marrying Uchiha Itachi and what that would mean for her status in the village. After all, there was no denying the man's flawless talent, or the perfection in his appearance – telling her that they would have magnificently powerful, beautiful children on day.

Finally looking up, she found Itachi already looking at her, more than likely critically assessing everything about her. Since he was of a higher standing in the village, he would know everything about her. He would know she wasn't anything special.

"A home for you both is being built as we speak," she vaguely heard Fugaku state.

He didn't look away and she refused to be the first to break the eye contact, as Sakura knew it would make her look even weaker.

Itachi was dressed down in that moment like herself, unlike every other time she saw him around the village, when he was always dressed in uniform of some kind. They must have been his every day clothes, she silently told herself. Did that mean he refused to be traditional like his family? Was it a middle finger to his parents, just as her refusing to dress up was?

No matter how much she focused on everything else about him, all Sakura could see was the coldness of his gaze. It captured her attention whenever it started to divert, causing a horrible voice to sneer in her mind, hissing that he'd probably look at her the same way when the time eventually came to give the Uchiha Clan their next heir.

Her skin crawled, the image of him climbing on top of her, making l–

No, not making love. He would be fucking her like it was a chore.

That was her future.

Movement out of the corner of her eye caught her attention and she met Sasuke's eye, his usual indifference cracking under the weight of her helplessness, causing him to falter in drinking his tea. He wanted to be there just as much as she did from the looks of things, but had to be due to it being expected of him. It was official clan business and he was a member of the head family.

She would soon be his sister-in-law.

"You will both live in the home together from the day you are married and it will be expected of you-"

"Why me?" she couldn't help but demand, looking back to Fugaku, uncaring that she'd rudely interrupted him. It didn't matter that the others looked to her in disbelief. She needed her answers. "Out of all the kunoichi in your clan alone… Why choose me?"

There was a sigh opposite her that she ignored.

"Well?" she demanded when no-one answered her. "Surely there would have been someone better for this role?" Because it sure as hell wasn't anything more than that: a role to play. It wasn't going to be a real marriage. "Someone who isn't from a civilian background? Who has no idea how a clan even operates?"

Her choice of wording apparently wasn't lost on any of them and for that, she was glad. She would make her disliking obvious for them all.

"You were chosen due to your standing in the village," answered Fugaku, making her wonder if anyone else in his family ever got the chance to speak up. "After only a handful of years under her tutelage, you have surpassed our Hokage in terms of strength and medical ability. Out of all kunoichi, both in our clan and the village, you were the best candidate."

"And what happens to me now?" she couldn't help but question. "Do I still get to be an active kunoichi, or do I retire to become _his_ broodmare?"

The question seemed to unsettle her parents, finally, but she paid them no mind. Those people were… They'd wronged her. In her mind, in her heart, they had betrayed her in one of the worst ways possible.

They'd stripped her of her freedom.

And she knew she was right to think that way, especially when she tilted her head to the side to glance at Sasuke, only for him to avert his eyes for the first time in the ten years she'd known him.

"You will retire-"

Hands slamming to the table, disturbing the tea cups, she shot to her knees, glaring down at him viciously.

"Like hell."

"Sakura-"

"_Don't_ touch me," she snarled at her mother, yanking her arm away from her, eyes returning to Fugaku's. He was unimpressed. Didn't look affected in the least and it pissed her off even more. "I haven't spent years working myself to the brink of death to retire at the age of eighteen."

"You will-"

"Perhaps Sakura-san has a point, Father," Itachi surprised her by saying.

His interference irked his father, she could tell it did, but she didn't care. Her hands shook faintly as her grip tightened, eyes narrowing on the older man. "I'm not retiring. You can't force me into retirement – Tsunade-sama will know and she'll refuse."

"That woman-"

It seemed to shock them all when her grip intensified to the extent that the table gave way beneath her strength, breaking in her grasp. "_That woman_ is _your _Hokage," she snarled warningly. "Show her the respect she deserves."

Her mother grabbed her arm, but she shrugged out of it once again.

"I'm not a broodmare," she told him and stood from her kneeling position, towering over them all. "I'm not some weakling that you can bully around. If I'm marrying your son," she snapped, uncaring that she was raising her voice and attracting the attention of the waiters. "I'm going to continue going on missions. I'm going to keep working in the hospital. I will train and work hard, just as I always have."

Silence. It didn't even sound like anyone was breathing.

She leaned closer to him, hands planting on the parts of the table that hadn't broken like mere cardboard, until their faces were a foot or so apart. She made damn sure he could see her eyes and _know_ not to doubt her words. "You'll either deal with it, or find someone else. Understand?"

* * *

She was shaking.

It wouldn't stop, no matter what she did to try and calm herself.

When the doors to the office eventually opened, Sakura was on her feet, approaching the woman who'd opened them.

"Tsunade-sama will see you now."

Despite it being rude, she brushed by Shizune and entered the office without pausing, with a grim mask of anger and determination, readying herself for going up against Tsunade. As their Hokage's loyal assistant and adviser, she never missed a beat and was informed on all matters of the village. That would include her engagement to Uchiha Itachi.

Unlike what her mind had been expecting, Tsunade was not behind her desk but instead stood at one of her windows, looking out of it with her back to the rest of the room, including Sakura. Her haori was hung over the back of her chair, a rare sight to behold, since she only ever took it off during battle.

Her fists clenched. "You knew."

"I knew."

The rigid set of Tsunade's muscles did little to ease her anger. In fact, her admission to knowing what was going on only served to make Sakura angrier. It only served to opening up the tirade and making her yell in disbelief, "Why? Would you let them do something like this?"

A sigh. "It's beneficial."

"Do you know what they're asking of me?" she demanded shrilly. "They want me to _retire_ from being a kunoichi. They want me to focus on being his wife and mother to his children!"

Tsunade turned at that, raising a daring eyebrow, though that was all she could see of her expression. "Do you really think I would allow that after all our hard work? After all _your_ hard work?" At the setting of her jaw and the rage in her eyes continuing to shine brightly, the blonde narrowed her eyes. "I knew you would be able to handle something like this. You can handle yourself with the Uchiha Clan."

No, she couldn't. "Why should I have to?" she retorted angrily.

"Sit down," she ordered calmly while stepping away from the window, approaching her desk that was, for once, clear of paperwork. It was only out of respect for her shishou that she did so, watching as Tsunade reached into her drawer, producing a scroll that had her frowning. It looked ancient – at least a decade old. "_This_ is why I agreed to the arranged marriage."

It was tossed to her carelessly and expertly, Sakura caught it before it could hit her chest, her frown deepening. "You've signed my freedom away because of a scroll?"

"Read it."

And let them create excuses for what they'd done to her?

"Sakura."

The tiredness in her features had her sighing irritably and opening the scroll, green eyes skimming the contents until she caught sight of two words that had her stomach flipping, meeting Tsunade's gaze with obvious shock.

_Coup d'état._

Wide, horrified eyes returned to the scroll, absorbing the Sandaime Hokage's words, his careful calligraphy burning into her mind.

"We cannot let it escalate like that again."

Her hand came to her forehead, soon running through her hair, the unsettling feeling exploding to new heights when she reread the words that told her of a councilman going rogue, attacking a member of the Uchiha Clan. That fact was highly classified, according to the late Hokage, for the sake of wishing to keep the unsteady peace between the village and the clan – it was at the Uchiha's request that his name not be mentioned, that the incident remain secret.

Gods, she felt sick. She looked to Tsunade again, not hiding how startled she felt. "The councilman…?"

"I have my suspicions."

Ones she couldn't say aloud. "Why has Sandaime-sama refused to name anyone?"

"I don't know." Sighing, Tsunade turned back to the window behind her desk, folding her arms beneath her breasts. "All I know is that the situation is becoming unsteady once more. According to ANBU-"

"How would ANBU know?" she asked, though answered her own question when she continued reading. "Tsunade-sama, you're not still…?"

"Watching them?" Tsunade finished for her. "Yes."

"Why?"

"There is every chance that the Uchiha Clan have been biding their time, waiting for the best opportunity to attack." Glancing over her shoulder at her, Sakura nervously bit the inside of her cheek at the graveness in her expression. "I am not my sensei, Sakura. I don't possess half the strength Sarutobi-sensei possessed. In many people's eyes: I'm just a woman."

_A strong woman,_ Sakura wanted to add, but remained silent. She could easily recall the contempt in Fugaku's voice as he'd said _that woman_. It still made her bristle.

"Our village has never been more at peace than it is right now," she continued, voice tinged with pride and she faced forward once more, watching the village she'd nurtured and brought back from the brink of total destruction. "We have alliances with villages who fear going against us again. We have earned back our status as a powerful, united village."

Yes, they did. The truce between Suna and Konoha was stronger than ever, going as far as to share the villages' techniques with one another. Many times in the past, Sakura had joined several other medics and assisted Suna's hospital, sharing their knowledge and training new medics. She was actually due another trip in just a few months, just as several of Suna's strongest jōnin were due to stay in Konoha, teaching some of the classes in the academy.

"You think they'll take advantage of the peace?"

"I don't know what to think," admitted Tsunade and the hands on her arms twitched, soon gripping her biceps tightly. "All I know is this engagement couldn't have come at a better time."

What was one person's freedom compared to the lives of hundreds? As much as it pained her to do so, Sakura knew she would have to push aside that defiance and heartbreak. Her village needed her.

"But how will this solve anything?" she questioned, frowning again and placing the scroll back onto the desk. "It's not like they're going to let me in on their top secret meetings."

"I doubt half of the clan will know of their plans until they're set in motion," agreed Tsunade and she turned, leaning back against the window. "But you will be married to the heir-"

"An heir who couldn't care less about me," she argued.

"Then make him care," she ordered with annoyance. "You're not completely inexperienced, Sakura. Use your charms and your lessons in seduction to make Uchiha Itachi open up to you."

Would she really be capable of doing that? How could she pretend to be interested in a man she had no feelings for? Who _knew_ she had no feelings for him? Gods, she'd already dropped herself in it, making it painfully obvious she was completely against the marriage, that she didn't like her soon-to-be husband.

"It's already a failure, then," she whined pitifully. "I yelled at them all, Shishou."

"I expected you to."

"I got in Fugaku-san's face and-"

"Sakura." She fell silent, looking to her shishou unsurely. "I know what your personality is like. I knew exactly how you would react to this marriage and their wanting you to retire."

"Then how…?"

Sighing, she said, "It's hardly going to be believable if you're one hundred percent willing to the marriage right off the bat, is it?"

No, she supposed it wouldn't be, Sakura thought sulkily, refraining from sinking further into her chair. It was rare for Tsunade to have them out, as she usually preferred people to be standing to attention. Was that a sign that they would be there a while? Perhaps.

"So what do I do now?"

"Continue being your usual stubborn self," she said and approached the desk once more, sitting opposite her. Unlike her own chair, which was the same colour, Tsunade's was more extravagant, making it obvious she was the superior. "Keep fighting them and giving them hell."

Yeah, because _that_ couldn't go wrong, could it? "And if they decide to go with someone more compliant?"

Tsunade smirked arrogantly, folding her hands on the desk. "They won't," she stated simply. "Not when they have the number one kunoichi of her generation. Not when they have their opening to me, through you."

It was always nice having her ego stroked, especially after working her ass off, but in that moment, she couldn't truly enjoy the praise.

"They are a proud clan, Sakura," she assured her and brought those joined hands up to her face, resting her chin on them, elbows planted on the desk. "They won't want second best. Fugaku even admitted to your talent surpassing all Uchiha kunoichi."

Her stomach lurched. "And when I have to give him an heir?"

The question seemed to make her shishou uncomfortable too, as amber eyes narrowed fractionally, her pursing lips hidden behind her hands. "We will use a jutsu to prevent pregnancy."

"But I'll still have to sleep with him."

"I'm afraid so."

The same vision from earlier that day plagued her mind, showing Sakura dead eyes boring down on her as he loomed over her.

She shivered.

As her shishou had previously stated: she wasn't completely inexperienced. She knew what to do to please a man and she knew how to gain a man's attention. Seduction came hand-in-hand with her profession, because as a woman, it was expected of her at some point in her career. It was a sexist world they lived in, but it was also their harsh reality. They had a long way to go to change their ways, although her shishou had done an amazing job so far.

"Occasionally, I will create incidents that will work in your favour," she informed her. "Should you react satisfactorily, you will earn the respect and trust of Itachi and his clan."

It sounded wrong, deceiving her teammate's family which, in turn, meant deceiving him, but it was for the sake of their village. She had to do whatever was necessary to protect Konoha. Surely, Sasuke would understand that? Surely he would forgive her?

"Think of this marriage as a highly classified mission. It will be your first s-ranked mission," murmured her shishou, amber eyes narrowing once more. Lowering her hands to the desk, her serious expression caused Sakura to straighten, also growing serious, heart in her throat. "You are to infiltrate the Uchiha Clan and spy on them. Find out everything you can about their plans. Do what you must to gain Uchiha Itachi's favour, bringing him onto our side. Most importantly, should it come down to it, make a coup d'état impossible for them."

She nodded once. "Yes, Hokage-sama."


	3. When It's All Over

**Chapter 2 – When It's All Over**

All attention was most definitely on them.

Keeping her chin high, she pretended to be unaffected, ignoring the stares following them as they walked through the village together.

News of their engagement had made its rounds when invitations were sent out, alerting everyone about their wedding at the end of the month and while many whispered about it being way too soon, nobody said a word to their faces. Instead, they expressed their gratitude of being invited, believing themselves to be special, regardless of the fact everyone had been invited since it was to tie the clan closer to the village – a sad attempt to unify them.

Did the man walking beside her know of the talks about a coup d'état? Part of her exclaimed no, like hell a child would know about something like that, but then her mind would argue that he was never just a child. Uchiha Itachi had, in fact, been an ANBU captain around that time, despite being so young.

Looking to him from the corner of her eye, she assessed the calmness he radiated, wondering if it was just a front considering how standoffish he'd been yesterday. Granted, she hadn't been much better, but what was she supposed to do? Lay back and let them try and control her? Like hell. Her shishou had taught her better than that. _She_ knew better than to let a man dictate her life. Powerful clan heir or not.

"After you," he stated, holding the door for her.

She merely nodded, ducking beneath his arm to enter the quiet restaurant, once more pretending not to notice the disbelieving stares following them. Sakura had a sneaking suspicion that they would last for a while.

Dressed similarly to the day before, his clan's emblem stood out proudly on his back, reminding her that in just a month's time, it would probably be on hers too. That was, if the clan truly accepted her. She had a hard time believing they would, considering how badly they'd been against tainting their bloodline.

Fugaku's reasons for arranging their marriage still irked her, even as they were guided to their table towards the back of the restaurant, further away from nosy villagers. Unfortunately, they were in the window, but at least nobody could hear their conversation.

He wanted Itachi to marry her due to her importance to the village, meaning it was due to her connection to the Hokage. At first, she'd thought little of it, believing it not to matter. It was merely about social standing. Now, however, after reading the scroll, she couldn't help but worry.

Were they conspiring against the village again?

"Oolong tea, please," she answered when the waitress enquired about what they would like to drink.

"I will have the same."

Did he ever smile? Sakura pondered the thought as she watched him settle into the seat opposite her, soon crossing one of her legs over the other, subtly angling her foot to the right to avoid brushing it on his leg. Their table granted little freedom to stretch out and truly relax, the diners in mind no doubt having been couples.

"Yesterday was-"

"It could have gone better," she said, cutting him off when he paused to find the right word. Aware of how closely they were being watched, she refrained from showing any negativity, instead choosing to lean closer to the table, showing an interest in the conversation. "But I meant every word."

"I know."

Similarly to yesterday, Sakura wondered how she was supposed to marry someone who refused to show any emotion. She once more questioned whether he knew how to smile, or show something other than apathy. It ground on her nerves being unable to get an idea on what he was feeling. How was she supposed to know where she stood with him?

"I asked you to accompany me today as I wish to discuss arrangements between us, including our living situation, away from our parents," Itachi informed her. "I believe they should have no say in the matter."

It had been quite the shock to answer the door to him that morning, in all honesty. She hadn't expected to see him for at least a week, as according to her mother, they were due to have another meeting with his family then. Their last one had obviously ended abruptly when she stormed out and they couldn't decide on much without her.

Her mother had been ecstatic when she caught a glimpse of him, prompting Sakura to shove her boots on and leave for fear of worsening her already sour mood. She knew that, while Tsunade had said her unwillingness to marry Itachi fit well with her character, resisting too much or showing too great a disliking towards him, wouldn't work well in her favour. She had to find that delicate balance. She couldn't do that while constantly in a bad mood.

"Do you have anything in mind so far?" she questioned and sat back when their tea arrived, smiling politely at the waitress in thanks.

He looked up from settling his cup in a different place, her eyes drawn to the way he angled it _just so_ on his coaster. "The house that is being prepared for us has several bedrooms for later in our marriage, when we are to produce heirs," Itachi told her at length, seeming unaffected as he spoke casually about their inevitable children. "If you wish, until that time comes, we may sleep in separate bedrooms."

That was… unexpectedly sweet, Sakura thought to herself, pausing in sipping her tea. The sweet aroma filled her senses, tempting her to continue with the mouthful as she thought of a response to his offer.

Would she prefer to sleep in separate bedrooms? Without a doubt, but she had to keep her mission in mind. She had to decide whether it would benefit her mission.

Sleeping with him right off the bat didn't sit well with her and she was certain that it wouldn't be the way into his heart, either. Uchiha Itachi didn't strike her as the type of guy who slept around, or appreciated a woman who so easily let a man into her bed. Then again, he didn't seem like the type who let someone in period.

"I'd appreciate that," she said, more gratefulness in her tone than she'd planned for. "Thank you."

Regardless of whether he seemed the type, she would have to spend time with him to burrow her way into his heart, potentially wedging herself between Itachi and his clan, should she find she had to. Otherwise, how and why would he ever open up to her? She sincerely doubted he would do so simply because it stated on a piece of paper that they were husband and wife.

The sight of a couple walking hand-in-hand down the street, passing their window while talking with one another, captured her attention and she continued to watch them thoughtfully.

Would they ever feel comfortable enough to walk in such a way? So happily and carefree? Sakura doubted it. For starters, they possessed no feelings towards each other. They had never held a real conversation before being shoved into the arranged marriage. Most importantly, she was supposed to be infiltrating his clan and gathering whatever information she could. She couldn't go losing her head or her heart.

"Would you be open to devoting one day to one another?" she questioned suddenly, looking back to him. "Or an evening, depending on how busy we both are."

He seemed to think it over, remaining apathetic while watching her. "What do you have in mind?"

It was intimidating having him watch her in such a way. She wished he would show some kind of emotion. "A date evening," she said, resisting the childish urge to blush as her mind teased her about having to ask her fiancé to take her out. "One day a week starting from today, so that we can get to know one another."

Nodding once, Itachi said, "I am sure it can be arranged."

"One evening a week," she repeated to make sure it really hit home with him. She didn't want him disappearing for months on missions, not that Tsunade would send him on any when they had a potential coup d'état on their hands. "Every week."

"I heard."

Lifting her cup to her lips, she regarded him thoughtfully, trying to come up with strategies as to how to approach such a distant man. The usual seduction techniques automatically ruled themselves out, her mind insisting that a man such as himself, one who was so aloof and intelligent, would know what was happening, should she try anything sexual. That and the fact she'd already expressed how against the marriage she was. To suddenly try any sexual advances would conflict with everything she'd said up until that point.

A date night every week would aid her in getting to know him better – or so she hoped. Once she was certain she was close enough, perhaps then would be the time to lay the womanly charm on him? Was that how she was supposed to seduce him? It was impossible to tell until she knew him better.

"I have another condition."

She raised an eyebrow, setting her cup down, not failing to notice how he once more angled his cup with well-practised precision, wiping the rim with a napkin. Peculiar, she thought to herself, before taking note of his appearance, deciding that he was more than likely a perfectionist.

"I would appreciate it if you would train with me once a week, in addition to the date."

Spend more time together? Part of her wondered if he also had an ulterior motive, or whether he knew of hers. Was that a possibility? Yes, definitely. It meant she would have to tread carefully – a fact she already knew, however.

"Sounds good to me," she replied easily.

Uchiha Itachi was a renowned prodigy of his clan and of Konoha, his prowess known and feared throughout the nations. But that impressive talent came at a cost, it appeared, as he was most definitely socially awkward. He isolated himself, either refusing or unable to create meaningful bonds with those outside his immediate family.

It was his intelligence that created that wedge between him and the rest of the world, Sakura believed, taking another sip of her tea, continuing to observe him, trying to get a better feel of him. He wasn't on their wavelength, so struggled to communicate with them. Not because he thought of himself better (or perhaps he did – she would have to find that out at some point) but because it simply didn't add up in his mind. He didn't know _how_ to do what was so simple for the rest of them. She'd noticed similar traits in her former-sensei.

"So, we've agreed separate bedrooms, date nights and training sessions," she listed off, meeting his gaze once more. "Anything else?"

There was a moment of pause in his reply, though she was unable to tell if it was due to feeling awkward or not, even with his next words of, "My father believes it would be beneficial for you to take lessons in etiquette from my mother."

Her grip on the cup tightened. "What's wrong with my etiquette?"

"Besides the fact you yelled in your future patriarch's face and, in turn, made a scene in public?"

A hairline crack ran up the cup, attracting his attention. She smiled with forced politeness, placing the cup down before she destroyed it. "Are you saying my anger wasn't justified?"

"On the contrary, I found it to be refreshing. However, the fact of the matter is that my father will soon be your patriarch. As you wished for him to show Hokage-sama respect, you must show him respect, also."

Her eyebrow twitched. "You-"

"If only for an easy life," he murmured, cutting her off.

How ridiculous. How the hell could he expect that of her? For her to allow Fugaku to walk all over her for the chance of an easier life?

"A woman's life is never easy," she repeated the words of her shishou from many years ago. "We're constantly shoved into boxes, or moulded into what is seen as the _perfect_ woman."

"Do not misunderstand," Itachi replied easily, taking another sip. When he placed his cup down again, she saw it to be empty. Would they be buying more? Or was their outing coming to an end? "I am all for fighting the patriarchy. However, you must learn to choose your battles more wisely."

Uchiha Itachi? Fighting the patriarchy? The image was almost amusing.

"Are you saying you make life hell for your father?"

"Take my words whichever way you please."

It was hard getting a read of him, Sakura thought, not for the first time growing frustrated.

Their presence in the restaurant must have been something to marvel at, she noticed suddenly when the door opened again, alerting them to more diners. While it hadn't been empty prior to their entering, it certainly hadn't been half as busy as it was now and Sakura recognised one table in particular to be filled of Konoha's worst gossipers. It seemed they had tried to get as close to their table as possible.

"Back to the separate bedrooms thing," she said quietly, returning her attention to Itachi. He faltered somewhat, seemingly knowing where her next sentence was going and Sakura sighed, anxiety gnawing away at her stomach. "How soon will your clan want heirs?"

Surprising her, he seemed equally against what was expected of them, though she wasn't sure why it shocked her. After all, Itachi was just as unwilling to be married to her as she was him. Just because he was a man, it didn't mean he was okay with having sex with her. He was being forced into giving them heirs too.

"I requested that we be given time to settle into our marriage before beginning the process of producing an heir," he informed her. It was hard maintaining eye contact with him when his eyes bore into hers like that, Sakura found, but for the sake of not appearing weak, she held his gaze. "They believed three months to be enough time."

Three months?

She felt nauseated suddenly.

"I informed them I had no intentions of impregnating you after only three months of knowing you."

The bluntness of his words threatened to redden her cheeks. How could he be so unaffected while talking about them having sex? "And?"

"They granted us nine months."

"Just like that?"

"I am a persuasive man."

_Noted_, she thought to herself.

Despite there being so many people in the restaurant, it was unnervingly quiet, forcing them to keep their voices lowered to ensure nobody heard their conversation. It wouldn't be a secret that their marriage was arranged, but they had to make sure they didn't know the gory details. They couldn't know that they wouldn't be sharing a bed for the first nine months of marriage.

"I must ask that you work with me, rather than resist me every chance you get," he told her suddenly, stunning her. "I understand that this is unpleasant for you-"

"However, you're in the same position," she finished for him, offering a small smile.

"Essentially." He sat up straighter, assuring her, "I will do what I can as clan heir to ensure you continue being an active kunoichi, but you must understand that they will do everything in their power to keep you from being killed in action now that you are to be their matriarch."

She raised a daring eyebrow. "Do you receive the same heart-warming concern?"

"No, I-"

"Then why should I be babied? Is it because I'm a woman?"

"In their eyes, women are the weaker sex."

At least he was honest.

"But surely they know I can't be killed in action?" questioned Sakura, frowning. "Whereas _you_ can." She had a point and he knew it. She could tell from the setting of his jaw. Smiling sweetly, she told him just as she'd told his father the day before, "I have no intentions of retiring. The sooner your clan realises that, the smoother this will be for everyone."

They would not force her into any boxes. She was not clay to be moulded to their liking. She was a woman, yes, but she was by no means weak. She was Haruno Sakura, the Godaime's apprentice, the Copy-Nin's student. She was a member of Team Seven who was just as powerful in her own right. No, she did not possess the sharingan and she didn't house a tailed beast, but she was a hard worker and fought to be where she was. She had just as much right to be recognised as they did.

"How about this?" she offered, resting her elbows on the table and leaning forward, making sure to hold eye contact. "Accompany me on a mission – with or without my team. See how capable I am and make your own mind up. If you truly believe I should retire as a kunoichi, then I'll do it."

"You would be willing to make such a bet? When you could lose so much?"

Sakura smirked, finishing the last of her tea. "Team Seven is a stubborn team that doesn't know how to lose – why would I be any different to my teammates?"

"I will accept your bet on one condition." When he saw he had her full attention, Itachi said, "It will be a mission of my choosing."

"Fine." She'd taken many missions over the years, although she had to admit, she wouldn't know how to handle herself if it was s-ranked. Hopefully, Tsunade would back her up, should he choose an s-ranked mission. "Although, I have to warn you of one mission I can't get out of, no matter the outcome of this bet."

Apparently already clued in, he told her, "The exchange program between Konoha and Suna." She nodded. Of course he already knew. "Against my clan's wishes, I will be accompanying you."

What?

It took so much of her self-restraint to stop herself from clenching her fists. Sadly, she couldn't stop the gritting of her teeth. "May I ask why?"

"You will be my wife by that time," Itachi informed her like it was obvious. Maybe it was, but the lack of freedom still rubbed her the wrong way. "In the clan's eyes-"

"Is that what it always comes down to?" she asked, struggling but somehow managing to rein in her anger so that it wouldn't show to other diners. "What your clan wants?"

"In their eyes," he continued, ignoring her words, making her bristle. "You are a married woman who will be staying in another village for at least a month. Moreover, you are the future matriarch, whether you wish for the role or not." There was a faint crease in his eyebrows as he continued to assess her, murmuring, "I don't think you understand how big the target on your back is now."

Of course she did. She knew because she'd been targeted in the past for being the Hokage's apprentice. Like she was an opening for Tsunade, she was now considered an opening for Uchiha Itachi and due to her being his wife (whether they wanted it or not), pride would force him to act if she was taken hostage or killed.

"I suppose there's an upside to you tagging along," she said with a shrug, sitting back and smiling. "We can keep up date night."

"Would you like more tea?"

For the sake of finding more out, she would probably have to say yes. There was more than likely still a lot they had to discuss anyway.

Nodding, she told him, "The same again, please."

It didn't shock her when he didn't get up, the waitress seemingly understanding his mere looking up from their table as them requiring her attention once more. She was polite but quick as she collected their old cups, returning after five minutes with a tray. On that tray were two more cups, alongside a teapot.

As soon as she was walking away, Sakura got stuck in once more, pouring them more tea as she asked, "This may seem like a stupid question, but while I _do_ have some experience from attending meetings with Tsunade-sama, I feel I won't be prepared for life as matriarch. Will I be trained?"

A quiet thanks was her reward when he accepted the tea she'd poured. While he once more found the angle he preferred, he replied, "Yes. My mother will train you, just as the previous matriarch trained her."

Oh, so it was some kind of tradition. That eased a knot in her stomach Sakura hadn't even realised existed. As worried as she'd been about the potential coup d'état, she'd failed to express other causes for anxiety.

"I-"

She cut herself off when platinum blonde hair flashed in her peripheral, soon followed by her best friend appearing at the window of the restaurant, standing before them, slapping her invitation to the window with obvious anger.

_Not now…_

Expressing her embarrassment, she pointedly looked to the other diners who watched them with great intrigue, meeting Ino's eyes and begging for her to walk away. She would tell her everything that wasn't highly classified afterwards.

Her response was the narrowing of her eyes.

"_Explain,"_ she mouthed through the window.

"_Not now,"_ Sakura mouthed back, green eyes going to Itachi, offering a strained smile. "_Busy."_

Ino had every right to be angry and upset, but Sakura refused to placate her in that moment. It wouldn't look good for her to ditch her fiancé to have a conversation with her best friend that could wait until later in the day, especially since it was a conversation she would have to have with another blond, too. Possibly even their sensei.

"Would you like to speak with her?" asked Itachi, attracting Ino's attention and causing blue eyes to narrow. "She seems…"

"Upset?"

"Yes."

"No, we'll speak later," she told him, sending a warning glare that had Ino huffing, grip tightening on the invitation. "_Bye."_

It was angrily that she stomped away and Sakura could only sigh as she received apologetic glances from the other members of Team Ten, who followed wordlessly after her.

Returning her attention to Itachi, she gave a small, apologetic smile. "Sorry. She hates not being the first to find out."

Apparently deciding it wasn't worth further discussion, Itachi looked to her once more, stating, "I am assuming your training will commence following the next meeting regarding our marriage."

"I can't imagine there'd be much to talk about."

"I believe this meeting is regarding the wedding itself, more than how we will be living."

She supposed so. "It's safe to assume we'll be living in the district, right?" He nodded once, drinking his tea. "Will we have to worry about any surprise visits?"

"Such as?"

"Such as your parents or other clansmen checking up on us, making sure we're actually living as a married couple?"

For the first time since yesterday, an emotion appeared on his features, allowing her to see that he was thoughtful – although, Sakura decided, it didn't really count. He didn't express anything other than that. She wanted to know what emotions those thoughts of his evoked.

"It is a possibility."

Panic bloomed in her chest. "And we can hardly ask for separate bedrooms in Suna."

"I will pack an extra futon."

Gods, it was all beginning to seem like such hard work. Lessons in etiquette and becoming matriarch. Having to prove herself capable of remaining an active kunoichi. Needing to start the process of producing an heir in _nine months. _And what would happen after Tsunade received all information she needed? Would she continue to be married to Itachi? Would they at least like each other by that point? They had to, for the sake of her mission. No, she had to make him care for her. And then what would happen?

What happened if there _was_ going to be a coup d'état? What would happen if there wasn't? It seemed, either way, she would be stringing Itachi along and if she was given grounds for ending their marriage, if he truly did fall for her charms, she would be breaking his heart.

The cold realisation had her pausing, unable to think of anything to say to him.

How was tricking Uchiha Itachi into falling in love with her helping anything? What if, by chance, there wasn't a coup d'état? What would their spying on the clan do? What would her potentially breaking Itachi's heart do? Wouldn't it render their whole plan useless? Yes, it would and it had her realising that, should there be no rebellion, she would be stuck in a loveless marriage. She would be stuck as his wife.

Part of her longed to find evidence of the clan rebelling, as it meant a sure escape from being his wife. The other half of her longed for peace, for it to all be simple paranoia.

Looking up from her tea, she discreetly swallowed nervously when she found Itachi already watching her, his gaze intense.

No matter the outcome, she had a part to play. She had to make him fall in love with her.

She simply hoped, with all her heart, that there would be no backfire.

* * *

**A/N - I've recently been creating playlists of the songs that inspire my stories. They're regularly updated. So for anyone who's interested, here's the playlist for this story: ****/playlist?list=PL9HGeX2wrBGvuM14CuBlb0c0BEBiQsCj7**


	4. IMPORTANT ANNOUNCEMENT

**To my readers,**

I'm posting this on my phone, so please ignore any and all mistakes you'll no doubt see while reading this. Writimg in the 'create new document' is so slow and it keeps crashing.

**There will be no updates **for a while, perhaps even until next year. **My laptop broke**, as did my partner's computer and we simply can't afford to buy new ones or to repair them. As you all know (for those of uou whove followed me for a while) I've had issues with my laptop for years, but now it has finally packed in for good.

**I have lost chapter 19 for Red String of Fate**. When my partner's computer died, I was almost finished with the cjapter and for some reason, it didn't automatically save like it usually does. **I have also lost the plans for it and Dying Embers.**

**I can barely even pay rent right now due to funeral costs. **After my mum passed away, my stepdad basically did a runner, abanonding their pets, home and us. It was entirely down to me to take in not only the pets (with one cat alone costing me £100 a month in specialist treatments - she has chronic kidney failure), but also my vulnerable sister. He took all superficial items such as the TV I bought for my mum when she first got sick and was unable to leave the house (I was good for money two years ago), all the expensive furniture she'd bought over the years and was so proud of herself for, but the worst part is that he left behind all sentimental items. He cleared out their home of his stuff, the stuff she worked hard for amd left all her personal items left around the house. I think I'm more upset about that than the thiusands of pounds worth of debt he's left in my name.

**One extremely helpful reader recommended ko-fi, a site where you can donate to creators. I've set it up so that you can not only support me, but commissions are also open. You can also pay to receive early access to chapters for on-going stories, though you would obviously have to wait until they're ready.**

**I never thought I would be the type of writer who asks for donations, but I'm in such a bad place financially and mentally.**

**Please take a look at my ko-fi **/riseoftheblossom

**You should also be able to find the link on my profile.**

**Thank you,**

**~Rise of the Blossom**


	5. I Don't Want To Hurt You

**Chapter 3 – I Don't Want To Hurt You**

"Thank you for walking me home."

The was a pause, one that she could only describe as painfully awkward as Itachi hovered at the top of the stairs.

She desperately hoped he wouldn't try kissing her. She knew it was inevitable, as it would probably be required of them at some point during the wedding or the reception, but right at that moment in time, she didn't want him to kiss her. She didn't want him to touch her. That mindset _needed_ to change, she knew it did.

But…

Not right now.

Her hand reached behind herself, grasping the door handle. "Well, tea was nice. I'll be looking forward to our date night."

"Tonight?"

Well, she guessed she _had_ said that it would be starting from that meeting. It would also look good for the villagers to see them out together, especially out on a date. "Unless that's too short notice for you?"

"I am sure I can arrange something."

She _had_ to learn how to read him, Sakura thought grumpily, but went against how she felt by smiling. "Then I'll see you tonight."

"I will pick you up at seven."

_Smile_, she inwardly stressed at him. She was doing her utmost to be polite and friendly. The least he could do was offer her the same kindness. It would make the whole thing much easier for the both of them. In less than three weeks, they would be married and living together. They had to at least _try_ to be friendly.

The awkwardness between them had Sakura slowly pushing down on the handle, indicating she was leaving. "Later, then."

He nodded, turning and walking away without a word. It wasn't until she was inside her family home with the door shutting behind her that she breathed out a weighted sigh, sagging against the door.

But all hopes of being left alone vanished when not only one woman, but two, emerged from the dining area. One was curious, her smile hopeful, whereas the other was beyond annoyed, arms folding beneath her ample chest, foot tapping a restless, demanding rhythm on the wooden flooring.

Sakura pushed off from the door, her features twisting as she tried to express how badly she wanted to be left alone. There was even a mixture of a groan and whine accompanying it.

Neither cared.

"How did it go?" Mebuki asked, smiling. "Mikoto-san assured me that he is the perfect gentleman."

Ino snorted at that. "Itachi-san? A perfect gentleman?"

Finally! A normal reaction.

"He's beautiful, don't get me wrong," Ino said quickly at Mebuki's falter. "But that guy is clueless. I mean, I asked him out once and he said no. _To me_."

Great. Her best friend had asked her future husband out at some point. "That makes you a hypocrite then, right?" she questioned daringly. "Since you didn't tell me you asked him out."

Another snort. It honestly filled Sakura with never-ending dread when Ino approached her, hips dipping, eyes narrowing.

"My pride was bruised. Why would I want to boast about it?"

Touché.

"I only found out yesterday," Sakura told her.

"So I've been told."

Groaning again, she tried to stomp her way around the blonde, only to have Ino step to the side, using the extra one and half inches of height she had on her to her advantage. Arms once more folding over her chest, Ino cocked her hip to the side, daring Sakura to try and escape her demanding stare down.

"Ino, please," she quietly begged. "I want to shower."

"Are you going out?" asked her mother, frowning.

"I picked up a shift at the hospital." A pause. "And I won't be eating here tonight again."

The coldness of her response had Ino narrowing her eyes, glancing sideways even though Mebuki was behind her. It had Sakura wondering whether she was destroying the trust between them by using her mind techniques on her mother. She doubted it, though. Even Ino had boundaries.

"Are you-"

"I'm having dinner with my fiancé," Sakura said coldly.

"Oi," Ino snapped, returning to glaring down at her. "Don't talk to Mebuki-san that way."

Really? She was defending her? "You-"

"I don't care what's happening. That woman gave birth to you. She raised you and loved you with all her heart. Don't you dare talk down to her like that."

Like hell she was standing around and listening to that bullshit.

Maybe, if her mother had known about the dire situation the village was facing, Sakura would have cut her some slack. She would have understood one hundred percent, as it wasn't an easy decision to make. But she hadn't known. Neither of her parents knew about the potential coup d'état. All they knew was that the Uchiha Clan had taken an interest in their ordinary daughter. They'd found a way to force her out of her profession.

Had they ever considered an arranged marriage before? Honestly, Sakura didn't think so. They would have started searching for a potential husband years ago, had that been the case. So what made them agree with the proposal? Why were they marrying her to a man they _knew_ she didn't know? Yes, she was best friends with his little brother, but…

No. She wouldn't cry.

She wouldn't.

Jaw clenching, she once more tried to step around Ino, only to growl out of frustration when the blonde stepped to the side with her, blocking her.

"What the hell is your problem?" she almost shrieked out of pure frustration.

"Apologise to your mom."

"No-"

"Oi-"

"They've forcing me to marry someone I don't love," she yelled in disbelief. Her hands itched to shove Ino out of the way, but she refrained, knowing that harming her best friend would solve nothing. It would only cause more unnecessary drama. "That I've never even spoken to, Ino. How the hell am I supposed to be okay with that?"

There was pity in her eyes, but it was nowhere near as great as the annoyance that was steadily building, telling Sakura she was walking on thin ice.

It didn't matter to her whether her impending marriage was a mission or not. It was a matter of principle. They'd shoved their only child into an arranged marriage for the simple fact that they wanted her to retire. They wanted her to, in their own freaking words, settle down and stop wasting her life. They wanted her married and having babies.

They didn't care that she'd never held a conversation with Itachi. They didn't care that they couldn't have cared less about one another. Hell, her father didn't even seem that concerned with the fact that she would have to give the clan their next heir at some point, even if it meant having sex with a man who held no feelings for her.

By marrying her off to the Uchiha Clan, they'd stripped her of her freedom. They were trying to take away everything she'd worked so hard for over the past few years.

If that didn't warrant her anger, then she was certain nothing would.

Another attempt to walk around Ino was blocked and finally losing her patience, she grabbed the blonde's upper arms, forcefully moving her aside, ignoring her squawk of disbelief and her mother's gasp.

"I need to get ready," she said when she sensed them beginning to follow her. "I'd say try talking to me when I've calmed down, but I doubt that'll be any time soon."

Her mother spoke up, trying to continue the conversation, but she cut her off with a swift slam of her bedroom door. As childish as it was, it got her point across. They didn't try talking to her again.

In truth, she didn't have a shift, but she knew that if she showed her face in the hospital, they would quickly put her to work. That was one of the benefits of being Tsunade's apprentice – if she needed to get away, she had a multitude of ways to escape. Drowning herself in work happened to be one of those ways.

It took all of ten seconds for her to ready herself for a shift at the hospital, deciding on leaving via her balcony rather than facing the two women outside her bedroom.

* * *

Two minor surgeries, a broken ankle and a fall down the stairs kept her preoccupied until she caught a glimpse of the clock, deciding it would be best to call it a day. Due to volunteering, she was able to leave when she wanted to, although Sakura struggled to shake the guilt that enveloped her heart as she left the hospital after only five hours.

However, she had a date to prepare for.

Just the thought had her groaning.

It'd been easy tuning out the gossip and incredulous stares as she worked, setting her entire focus on her patients. Walking back to her home was a different story, however. The stares followed her, burning into her back, making her feel as though the Uchiha's emblem was already there.

"_That one_," she heard someone sneer. "_She's the one who's supposed to be our next matriarch."_

Shock had her turning, even though she warned herself not to. Rising to the blatant goading wouldn't amount to anything. She'd only be gaining herself more unwanted attention. However, upon seeing the four clansmen standing only a few feet from her, all snarling at her in disgust, she felt herself freezing in place, their contempt suffocating her.

The Uchiha Clan had never had any issues with her before, mainly due to the fact she was rarely present in their district. No, she wasn't in the district now, but like Itachi had stated earlier that day: she now had a target on her back. She simply hadn't expected it to include his own clan.

She flinched with disgust when the oldest looking of the four men spat at her feet, barely missing her toes and noticed how one of the others smirked in response to her revulsion, his aristocratic features twisting with the expression, her stomach twisting at the sight of the police force badge on his arm.

What right did they have to treat her – to treat _anyone_ like that?

"Outsider trash-"

"Careful," a new voice spoke up from directly behind her, forcing her to hold back a surprised squeak. "This is your new matriarch."

"We-"

"Are leaving," he warned them coldly.

The weight of their stares disappeared like they'd never been there in the first place, allowing her to release a breath she hadn't realised she'd been holding. The sight of their hatred directed towards her wasn't only unpleasant, but totally unexpected, leaving her in a state of shock, unable to defend herself. They were officers. They were supposed to protect people, yet they'd been more than willing to tear into her.

Finally feeling as though she could look over her shoulder, she did so, offering the man a small smile of thanks when he finally looked away from the retreating men, his hardened features relaxing.

But then her gratefulness switched to shock as she took in said features, instantly placing him as an Uchiha – one of the prodigies of the clan, to be more exact.

"I don't believe we have ever been introduced," he said kindly, holding out his hand. "My name is Uchiha Shisui."

"Haruno Sakura," she murmured and accepted the hand, shaking firmly.

"Are you okay?"

Sakura nodded, gaze trailing to the direction the men had left in. If she wasn't mistaken, they'd gone back to the district to lick their wounds. Gods, she hoped to never see the vile men again, though knew it would happen at some point. Probably at her own wedding.

"I think I'm more shocked than anything," admitted Sakura, then smiled. She'd barely taken anything in, too stunned to react. "Lucky for them."

"From what I've heard of your strength, I don't doubt your words," he agreed with an easy smile. Holding out his hand in the direction she'd been heading in, he asked, "May I escort you home? You have a date to prepare for, right?"

"How did you…?"

"Itachi told me."

Nodding once more in agreement to his escorting her, Sakura found herself pleasantly surprised when he walked by her side, rather than ahead of her. Most men took the lead, believing themselves to look manlier while paving the way, as they thought women to be the weaker sex, thinking they had to be protected at all cost. Having Shisui walk alongside her told her he didn't conform to society. He knew she didn't need protecting. She was powerful enough to protect herself. In her eyes, that was one of the biggest compliments she could receive.

Shisui was dressed in his jōnin uniform, the sight complete with the police force's badge on his arm, telling her he was probably on duty at that moment in time.

At her staring of the badge, he shifted his arm, also sparing it a glance, then smiled. "Don't worry. We're not all driven mad by power."

"I didn't mean-"

Another smile. "Relax. I was joking."

It was hard to relax when she was ordered to do so, Sakura thought wryly, though remained silent.

After a few moments, she asked, "Did he say anything about the date?"

There was a teasing glint in his eye and his hand came up, messing his wild curls up more than the wind ever could. "That would be telling, although I have to ask that you please be patient with him. Itachi's never done anything like this before."

That she could believe. It seemed her assumptions of his character earlier that day weren't entirely incorrect or uncalled for.

"Should I dress up for it?" she questioned. "Itachi-san didn't really mention what we'd be doing."

"Ah," he hummed, seeming thoughtful for a moment and it had her wondering why on earth Itachi couldn't take a lesson or two from him. The simple fact that he was _smiling_ at her put her at ease, making it easier to converse with him. "I'm afraid I can't answer that question."

What? "Why not? It won't give the date away."

"You see," he murmured and stepped to the side, leaning down to scoop up a piece of rubbish that'd been travelling up the street with the aid of the wind. "If Itachi has gone with his original idea, then I would suggest clothing you don't mind getting dirty."

What kind of date had he been planning, she couldn't help but wonder. In the past year, she'd been on only two dates and they had both been pleasant, sure, though weren't anything extraordinary. She kind of felt intrigued as to what he'd been planning, as it certainly sounded different.

"And your suggestion?"

Shisui looked down at her, raising a brow. "What makes you think I suggested anything?"

"You said he's never done this before," Sakura replied with a shrug before plucking the rubbish from his hand, tossing it into a bin that was on her side of the street. She pretended not to notice the blatant staring coming from other villagers, their curious stares following them. "And obviously, Itachi-san has gone to you for advice, going off what you've said."

"How observant of you," he said, not unkindly. "If he has taken what I had to say on board, then I would suggest a pretty dress."

Dinner, then.

It wasn't that Sakura was complaining, as a date was a date, regardless of where it was. It was just that… Well, dinner was kind of the predictable date, wasn't it? Everyone went out for dinner on their first date and Sakura found herself hoping Shisui's advice hadn't changed his mind.

"Well, I believe this is where we part ways."

Surprised, she looked to her left, startled to find that yes, they were standing outside her home, at the bottom of the stairs that would lead to the front door. The lights were all on, indicating that at least one of her parents were home and she felt herself growing irritated at just the thought. Would she ever be able to forgive them?

"How did you know this was where I live?"

Had he been one of the Uchiha that had looked into her? It wouldn't be too hard to believe given the fact Shisui was the only Uchiha, excluding his mother and brother, to be seen with Itachi around the village. Before anyone else, he would know of their arranged marriage. They were obviously close and so Sakura made a mental note to make sure she became friends with Shisui, as he would no doubt unknowingly aid in her growing closer to Itachi.

"I happened to be passing by earlier when Itachi left," he told her simply, smiling again.

_Liar,_ her instincts warned. Rather than let him know she had such a suspicion, she returned his smile. "I see. I better go and get ready, then."

His hand raised, giving her a single wave as he turned. "Later."

Definitely different from other Uchiha, Sakura decided.

Forgoing the front door, she leapt up onto her balcony, expertly sliding the glass door open and slipping inside soundlessly. It was a skill she'd picked up long before maturing as a kunoichi, back when she and Ino had repeatedly snuck out of their homes.

Having Uchiha Shisui on her side would be massively beneficial, Sakura felt while approaching her dressing table, removing her lab jacket and turning on a lamp. With him, she would gain more knowledge on Itachi and who he was as a person. It would aid her in wedging herself into his heart. Possibly quicker than she'd originally anticipated, too.

Preferably, she wanted to have all information Tsunade needed before their nine months were up, before they would have to start trying for a baby. While she had no doubts that her contraceptive jutsu would work, she would rather not have to go through sleeping with Itachi if it could be avoided.

For a moment, her fingertips tapped on her dressing table, green nails vibrant and demanding, as she pondered what to dress for. The original date idea, or Shisui's advised date.

Dinner was great and all, but she longed for a break from the norm.

Her hair would remain down in its usual style, Sakura decided. But what about her makeup, she wondered, critically assessing her features. If it was a dinner date, then it would be fine to wear some. If it was a fun date, there would be no point in wearing any.

_Wait._

Fingers stilling, she spun on her heel and opened her closet, searching through her clothing until she picked out a dress, eyes narrowing fractionally. A pretty dress, though not expensive and Sakura wouldn't be devastated if it was damaged or stained in some way. Moreover, she had shorts that were short enough to be worn beneath it, keeping her decent.

It would do, she decided and tossed it onto the bed, stilling once more as she carefully considered shoes.

She could run and fight in heels and knew they made her legs look great, but she didn't possess any heels that she would willingly risk being ruined. The ones she occasionally wore during missions were not date worthy, so they were instantly ruled out.

She bit her lip.

Was it worth the risk?

Sighing, Sakura scooped low and grabbed a pair of heels from the bottom of her closet, adding them to the dress on the bed. They matched and looked cute together, the simplicity in their design keeping her from looking as though she was trying too hard.

The neckline of the dress was similar to Ino's crop tops, which would be helpful in preventing accidental slips in decency and the skirt flowed out from the hips, giving her great mobility without the risk of tearing the material. It was black in colour – not something she would usually go for on a date, but it would be more difficult to stain, should they go with Itachi's original idea for a date.

A shower would first be necessary before getting dressed up, as Sakura was acutely aware of the hospital's stench clinging to her. How long did she have? A quick glance at the clock told her there was still over an hour until Itachi would be picking her up. More than enough time.

Scraping her fingers through her mid-length hair, she grabbed a clip from the dressing table, pulling it all back so that it wouldn't get wet in the shower.

* * *

Did she mention it?

Biting the inside of her cheek, Sakura came to a stop in the street, breathing in deeply to steel her nerves and prepare herself for whatever reaction Itachi gave her.

"Is something wrong?" he questioned, also stopping and turning to face her.

The streets weren't all that busy, not when everyone was either home or eating in restaurants, Itachi's timing proving to be impeccable as they were nearly spared entirely from the whispers and staring. A few still lingered, of course, but it was much better than the number being way up in the double digits.

"I spoke with Shisui-san," she informed him, deciding to hell with it. "He… told me about giving you advice."

Nothing. Not even vague annoyance at having his surprise spoiled – if that was what it was supposed to have been. She swallowed down the annoyance it provoked.

"I see."

She nodded, gesturing to his clothing. It was definitely more date worthy than what he'd been wearing earlier that day, but was by no means formal. "He said I should wear something I wouldn't mind getting dirty," added Sakura. "Is it safe to assume…?"

"I decided to combine the two ideas," Itachi stated. "The first part of our date will take place in the training grounds."

Oh? "Are we training?"

Thoughtful, Itachi turned away, continuing his walk and forcing her to scurry to keep up with him. "I suppose you could call it that."

She frowned, glancing to their left, wondering where he was taking her or whether he even knew where he was going. "The training grounds are that way-"

"We will not be using the usual training grounds."

Suspicion had her taking an extra step, trying to walk alongside him to gauge his reaction. "We're going into the Forest of Death?"

Silence was his only answer, aggravating her, but she held her tongue, allowing Itachi to lead the way towards the Forest of Death.

After the first time her team had taken the chūnin exams, they'd rarely approached the forest, let alone entered it. The place held bad memories for them, ones they childishly did their best to avoid.

It was as daunting as ever, Sakura realised as they came to stand before the gates. Due to it growing later into the evening, the sun had started to set, adding to the menacing aura that surrounded the place as it loomed over them. She couldn't believe how easy it was to fall back into those memories, the flashbacks of their fight against the Oto and Orochimaru enough to leave her breathless.

Body tilting in her direction, Itachi surprised her by holding out two items, the sight of them making green eyes go wide.

"This is the first part of our date," Itachi informed her, waiting until she accepted his offering before continuing, saying while putting on his own item, "Teamwork will be required of us to successfully complete this mission."

It was a good thing she hadn't worn her forehead protector, Sakura thought to herself, slipping the headband into place, though not in a way that scraped back her hair. She didn't question whether she looked ridiculous or not, as it hardly mattered. There would be no scaring Itachi off considering they would be married in just a few short weeks.

"Mission?"

"Yes." Facing the gates once more, making her wonder just how the hell he could remain so stony faced while wearing freaking cat ears, he told her, "We must collect the paw prints of ten different species of cats before time is up."

* * *

**A/N - Hi everyone! I'm back thanks to you all!**

**Honestly, nothing I will ever say or do will get across just how grateful I am for your love and support not only recently, but since I started writing fanfiction nearly 7 years ago now. Through the years, fanfiction has been my constant - my go-to when things get bad and I need to just get away from it all. I don't know where I'd be without it and without any of you.**

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	6. The Closer I Get To You

**Chapter 4**** – The Closer I Get To You**

The forest was as creepy as she remembered it being.

It certainly didn't help walking alongside Uchiha Itachi, even if he _was_ wearing cat ears. It wasn't so much that he was creepy, more like distant. She may as well have been walking alone.

She could sense the darkness bearing down on them, could feel the eyes of the creatures residing there. They stalked them while they walked, biding their time, waiting for the show of weakness that would cause them to lunge.

Ducking suddenly, the spider that had thrown itself at her when she walked too close to a tree went straight over her head. Fortunately for her, she managed to bite back the instinctive girlish squeal that threatened to embarrass her, and if anyone was to ask, she would say no, the sight of the hairy spider that was easily bigger than her head lunging for her _hadn't _scared her in the least.

He hadn't been able to tell, had he? Sakura spared a glance to Itachi, offering an awkward smile when she saw that yes, he had noticed. There was no amusement or mockery, though. There was nothing.

"I-"

_Damn it._

She spun, backhanding the _same goddamn _spider that seemed to have a vendetta against her, sending it hurtling back into the trees where it would _hopefully _remain, if it knew what was good for it.

"Huntsman spiders," she muttered with great disdain even though he hadn't asked.

"You know the different species of spiders?"

Grimacing, Sakura told him, "I'm friends with Hinata, who's Aburame Shino's teammate and he fills her in on…" She struggled to find the right words without seeming bitchy. "A lot of information and I feel bad if I interrupt her or show I'm not interested when she wants to talk about it."

"I see."

Gods, he was terrible at keeping the conversation alive. Would it always be down to her to keep it going? "Do you know anything about insects?"

A single nod. He wasn't even looking at her now as he resumed walking. "I know enough to identify them."

"In case you come across a poisonous one?"

"Yes."

Damn it, was he even trying?

Burrowing her way into his heart was going to be damn near impossible at the rate they were going. However, a sliver of hope blossomed in her chest as Sakura reminded herself their date was a mission that required teamwork to be a success.

Did that mean he _was_ trying?

"Why cats?" When he looked to her once more, she gently touched the cat ears atop her head, the realistic fur once more making her mentally question how they'd been created. Deciding she couldn't stomach the thought of wearing something created from harming an innocent animal, Sakura cut him off, asking, "How were these made, Itachi-san?"

"Cats moult," he explained. "From the fur that was shed from the cats of a woman who runs a supply store my clan frequents, these disguises were made."

"…Oh." Well, at least they weren't tortured for it.

"As for your first question," he surprised her by continuing, answering her first question and ducking beneath a thick branch. "You are to become my wife. This has been – I suppose you could call it a tradition, of sorts. Growing up, I tasked Sasuke with finding the paw prints of many cats. It was a way of testing his strength."

She frowned at that, her uncertainty surely obvious to him, though it went unanswered as they continued to walk further into the forest, further into the darkness.

Strangely enough, Sakura found herself admiring the unsettling beauty of the forest. How could she not, when there were so many herbs and flowers that she'd only read about, right in front of her? Due to her fear of the forest, she'd always avoided going in alone and none of her friends really shared her passion for plants (other than Ino, of course, but their schedules were so busy meaning it was hard to dedicate a whole day to investigating).

Her gaze was drawn to Itachi once more, finding the sight of him in cat ears amusing before she smiled, feigning shyness when he caught her staring, head ducking while she brushed her hair behind her ear. Would he see it as endearing? She hoped so. Unless the shy act irked him?

No, she couldn't let her anxiety stray her off course. She _was_ going to successfully complete the mission Tsunade had selected her for. Her shishou believed in her, believed she was capable of completing it and protecting Konoha from a terrible fate. She had her full trust.

"So, what did you do today?" she questioned politely, hands clasping behind her back.

After a couple more dates, Sakura decided, she would know what sort of personality traits he found charming and what bothered him. What she did know so far was that he preferred to be the one to take charge – he'd displayed that by continuously taking the lead (whereas his friend, for example, had allowed her to walk alongside him), though Sakura supposed she _did_ need more examples to tie him down to that thought.

What she really needed to do was impress him during their mission, she decided after a moment of watching him.

The Uchiha Clan was prestigious, they were powerful and (hopefully) united. She needed to convey to him that she was capable of blending in somewhat, that she would easily take the place of his wife, their matriarch, with little issues. Itachi had to know that he could rely on her. Even if they were not in love, they had to work together. Like their date, they needed teamwork to make the marriage work.

"I trained with Shisui," he answered, though continued to walk ahead. She noticed him looking at one spot in particular and she listened carefully, attempting to sense the area surrounding them without becoming overwhelmed by the foreboding atmosphere. "I also took a mission."

"Oh?" Hadn't Tsunade taken him off the mission rota? "Anything exciting?"

"No." There was a hint of something there, Sakura noticed with great surprise though tried not to show it. "Hokage-sama has been backed by my parents in her decision of removing me from the mission rota. I am unable to leave the village for prolonged periods of time."

She feigned understanding, nodding once. "It'll be for the marriage. When I was speaking with Tsunade-shishou, she told me she wants this to work."

"Why?"

Was that suspicion? Sakura was unable to tell. Taking advantage of his pause to assess footprints, she walked ahead, crouching beside a tree and narrowing her eyes fractionally at the sight of claw marks in the trunk. They were only small, similar to that of a housecat's and her heart lurched as she thought about a domesticated cat who'd strayed too far, becoming lost in the forest. They would be in way over their head. Sure, natural survival instincts _should_ kick in, but they didn't always for domesticated pets. Kiba had once explained that to her when they'd happened across an injured animal that simply lay down, accepting its fate when it was more than capable of making its way to safety.

"Well, for starters, because I'm her apprentice and she doesn't want me stuck in a marriage that's going to break me down mentally," she said, bending the truth to fit her purpose. "But also because this is going to bring the whole village together, right? We're essentially trying to unite your clan to the village – you've been ostracised for way too long, in her eyes and she wants that to change."

Silence.

During his pause, she heard something odd and placed her hands on her knees, head tilting back to peer up at the branches. As expected, it was much too dark to see much and so Sakura stood, shutting her eyes and focusing on the sound so that she wouldn't disturbed whatever animal was up there by climbing up.

"It's cleaning itself," she notified him, green eyes meeting his. "And there's claw marks on the trunk, though much smaller than I'd been expecting. Have you ever seen a cat here?"

"They often wander here as it is the best place to hunt," stated Itachi and he approached her, coming to stand by her side – closer than she'd anticipated, surprising her briefly. "There are also feral cats who reside here, alongside ninneko."

She had only ever met one ninneko before – sarcastic scraggly thing that got on her last nerve. Though, she supposed, if cats were able to talk, they _would_ speak their minds freely. Their stereotypical personality traits were arrogance and defiance at the best of times, so she guessed it was only natural for a fully trained ninja cat to be outspoken and downright rude.

"I'm going up," Sakura informed him, though paused, deciding that it would be too simple to go by herself. They needed communication. Teamwork. "I think it might be best to be lifted up – if this cat is a ninneko, then it'll sense me coming if I climb, no matter how silent I am. It'll sense the vibrations."

Itachi nodded, accepting her logic before kneeling in front of her.

That time, her cheeks flushed for real as she approached, warning him, "Don't look up my dress."

"Why would you assume that?"

She raised an eyebrow when he looked up at her, arms folding over her chest defensively. "All I really know about you is that you're my teammate's older brother. There's not even much gossip on you to go off, other than all the times you've rejected dates."

Lowering one knee to the ground, he left one up in the air, foot planted securely on the ground. "I see."

He was pushing her to get a move, Sakura realised with an inward groan. Tugging at the ends of her dress, she eyed his hand warily. Although she was wearing shorts beneath her dress, the thought of a strange man – of anyone – seeing up her dress was understandably uncomfortable. There was also the added sense of vulnerability. In his grasp, he would be more than able to cop a feel, should he be that way inclined. He would be able to take full control and gain the upper hand. She–

She had to stop seeing him as a potential enemy.

"I'm trusting you here," she said to him, deciding to be courteous by removing her heels, one foot going to his hand, the other waiting in her shoe until he was ready for her. Only then did she step onto his hand, her own coming to his shoulders momentarily to steady herself. "Don't let me down."

It was with remarkable ease that Itachi stood, lifting her and she noticed his shift in strength, like he hadn't been expecting it to be so effortless, either. Then, with a quiet murmur of what he was about to do, he readjusted his grip, arms straightening carefully until they were completely outstretched, slowly allowing her head to come above the first branch.

There was no swaying. No sense of danger, such as falling. The hold on her feet was firm without hurting her, his arms still, shoulders set.

It was kind of exhilarating witnessing his strength, even in something as simple as lifting her.

Turning her head to the left as she followed the sound, daringly, Sakura curled her toes, wordlessly informing him that she'd found their target, her lips pulling at the corners.

It wasn't as small as she'd thought it to be, though it was definitely small enough to be a civilian's domesticated pet. She knew it was a specific breed that caused it to grow as large as it was, though couldn't recall the name. She'd never really taken that much notice in breeds, even though she knew she probably should.

Suddenly, it shot up, ears moving back until they were flat against the cat's head. She noticed its whiskers twitching before slowly, its head turned, their eyes meeting, startling her with the intensity of its golden glare.

She froze.

It watched her.

_Calm_, she ordered of herself. _Don't show fear or give it any reason to be scared._

Slowly, she raised one hand, palm facing up to show that she meant no harm and she smiled when the cat slowly sniffed the air, inching forward.

"Hi there," she said quietly, hand slowly moving closer to the branch before stopping. She would allow it to close the distance from there, should it wish to.

It flinched when its nose unexpectedly touched her fingertip.

Sakura forced herself to breathe normally, even though it felt like her lungs were much too big, causing an ache whenever she breathed in.

"What are you doing out here?" she asked, refraining from moving too much when the cat hesitantly lowered itself, rubbing its cheek once against her palm. "Aren't you cold?"

Another rub.

She smiled again. "You've got lovely fur," she complimented the cat, just in case it turned out to be a ninneko. They were beyond arrogant, therefore she knew they would take great pleasure in having their hard work of self-grooming complimented. "May I pet you?"

Its head raised, pausing in rubbing itself on her hand and she offered another smile, hand waiting insistently. Only when it continued with a purr did Sakura stroke the cat, the softness of its black fur stunning her.

With obvious carefulness, she felt Itachi step forward, allowing her to get closer and she was pleased to find that the cat didn't mind the proximity, its purring filling the silence. She reached up with her other hand, stroking its back once, inwardly counting it as twenty-two inches long – without the tail. She didn't want to touch it without its permission, but she assumed it to be a startling thirty-three inches when including the tail.

"Come here," she cooed, once more stroking its back. As she did, small bursts of her chakra seeped into the cat's body, relaxing it further, allowing the chance to scoop it into her arms.

Sensing the extra weight, Itachi carefully lowered them to the ground, eyes taking in the sight of the cat laying like a child in her arms, continuing to purr away happily.

"You have made a friend."

"I wish I could keep him," she said with a sigh, grinning when the cat stretched out, its head bumping into her chin. "He's so friendly."

"Male cats typically are," he informed her. When she nodded that it was okay to do so, stating that it was being doped up by her chakra, he reached out, assessing the cat. "There is hardly any build up of plaque or tartar on its teeth," Itachi told her, surprising her by adding, "Meaning it is potentially between one to two years old."

"Really?" she questioned, shocked. "But he's huge."

"Maine Coon cats are. They grow much larger than this, too."

Green eyes widened and she looked down at the happy cat in her arms, bringing it a little closer, giggling when it licked her chin, nibbling for a second.

"This cat isn't entirely feral, either," Itachi said.

That was a hint, wasn't it? Was he making himself easier to read for that moment? She met his eye, surprised to find that yes, he was. Itachi was allowing her to read him – albeit, only slightly.

"I wish I could keep him," Sakura repeated. "But my dad's allergic."

"You won't be living with your parents for much longer."

It wasn't his words that shocked her into silence. No, it was her heart's reaction as it skipped with excitement until she passed it off as excitement for possibly keeping the cat, should it want to live with her.

"You'd let me keep him?"

He sighed at her words, looking down at the cat. "You are not a prisoner, Haruno-san. You are my future wife."

He wasn't as bad as he made himself seem, Sakura thought, watching him. While he remained distant to her, Itachi was allowing her to see that he wasn't entirely cold-hearted like the villagers believed. He _was_ trying.

"Sakura," she said, offering him a small smile when he looked to her. "Call me Sakura."

"What would you like to do?" he asked her after a moment. "I do not mind keeping him at my home for the next month."

To hell with it, Sakura decided. She would dope her father up, too. He would cope for a month with a cat hanging around or, rather than drugging her own father, she could always use her skills as a shinobi to sneak the cat in and out whenever necessary.

Actually…

"If I tell my mother he's a gift from you, she'll let me keep him," Sakura said with a knowing smirk. "She believes you're a perfect gentleman, so in her eyes, it'll be rude to turn away a gift."

"Oh?"

Was that his way of demanding more information? Too bad, Sakura decided. If he wanted to know more, he would have to ask for it outright. She wasn't going to play any guessing games with him.

"I'm going to keep him," she told him, giggling when the cat demanded more attention from her. Then, she paused, asking, "So, how do we continue the mission now? I don't know how other cats will react to him being so close."

"It could go one of two ways." Itachi reached down, picking up her heels before kneeling, taking her breath away as he waited patiently for her to lift her foot. Once she did, he carefully slipped the heels on for her, touching as little skin as possible out of respect. "Either he will hinder the mission or benefit it. They may trust us more due to his presence or grow defensive and territorial."

"Meaning he could potentially be harmed by one of them."

"Yes."

The thought of the overgrown tigers and whatever else lurking inside the forest had her snuggling the cat closer, cradling it until it became difficult to hear anything over its purring. "Missions are all about picking your battles. You have to know when to retreat."

For a moment, she thought that he was frustrated with her as he began to turn away, but then she caught a glimpse of a rare smile and Sakura bit her lip, realising she had answered whatever test he'd given her correctly.

She was chipping away at his icy shell.

"I believe dinner is waiting for us," Itachi stated, glancing over his shoulder at the cat. "We can share."

Yes, she definitely had proven herself, Sakura realised as they began their walk back to the village, minus the cat ears. How did she know that? She was one step closer. Instead of being three steps ahead, Itachi walked closer to her. Sure, he was still in front, but not by much. In her eyes, that was progress.

* * *

"This is…"

Gods, if she wasn't careful, then he was going to be worming his way into _her_ heart.

Going off their previous encounters, Sakura had assumed their dinner would be at another restaurant, surrounded by nosey villagers who refused to stop staring even when they met their eye. She'd assumed it would be standoffish, just as their tea had been earlier that day.

What she _hadn't_ been expecting was for their dinner to be atop the Hokage monument, allowing them to look out at the village, admiring the twinkling lights of peoples' homes, the distant sound of chatter and life filling the silence. The area above the Yondaime's head was lit by candles and directly in the centre of his head was a single table and two chairs, complemented by another candle, a pure white tablecloth and a single daffodil, its meaning not lost on her.

"I've never been on a date like this," she murmured almost breathlessly and stepped forward, keeping the cat close to her chest just in case it was frightened by the edge. "You've put a lot of thought and effort into this, haven't you?"

Silence.

Sakura looked over her shoulder, smiling with amusement. "Are you just now realising that you've set the bar quite high for our future dates?"

_That_ gave her a reaction. Well, it made him reply to her with, "You continue to go on dates after marrying?"

He was joking, right? Surely? Sakura was startled to find that no, Itachi was not joking. He truly believed a married couple didn't go on dates. "Maybe not dates like this, where we're getting a feel of one another – or, in an ordinary relationship, trying to impress and woo one another. But yeah, people still date after getting married. Don't…" Would she be pushing too far by questioning him on his parents? "Don't your parents go on dates?"

"No."

Feeling the cat wanting to look around, Sakura lowered him to the ground, knowing that his instincts would keep him from falling over the edge, as well as the fact that she could pick up on a wonderful aroma drifting through the air. _That_ would keep the cat from disappearing.

"They won't all be arranged by you," Sakura assured him, running her fingers over the tablecloth, allowing her to confirm her suspicions of it being silk. "For example, you could be on a month-long mission and once you're home and rested, I could prepare a candlelit dinner." She smiled at his nod. "It doesn't necessarily have to be as big as this. Date nights could be a trip to the movies, or to a bar. It could even be a break from the village – camping somewhere in the forest, sleeping under the stars and just basking in the peace."

"I have to confess that I came up with this idea after speaking with my brother."

"Sasuke-kun?" she said, no doubt sounding dumb. Itachi didn't have any other brothers.

"He informed me that you are a hopeless romantic."

She smiled shyly. "Yeah, I guess I am."

"I cannot promise that I will get this right every time," he stated and joined her by the table, gesturing around them. "I am new to this."

Yeah, she knew that. "You're doing well so far." At his responding silence, Sakura asked, "Can I ask why you've never dated before?"

Before answering, Itachi stepped behind a chair, pulling it out for her and waiting. Dumbly, she stared, only realising after several moments that he was waiting for her to sit down. Another shy smile graced her lips and she ducked her head, allowing him to tuck her into the table comfortably, her smile growing when the cat made itself known again, brushing against her legs.

"I knew my parents would arrange a marriage," he answered simply.

That was it? He wasn't going to elaborate? "That doesn't mean you couldn't have dated before," she argued, watching Itachi as he sat opposite her. The smell of their food grew stronger, alerting her that there was somebody behind the scenes who would be waiting on them. "I get that you wouldn't want to grow too attached, knowing that you would have to break up if your clan didn't agree with the relationship, but…" She shrugged. "Haven't you ever felt desire? Or at least been curious about it all?"

"Have you?"

Oh, was their conversation steering into dangerous territory? "I've been on dates before, if that's what you're asking."

He held her gaze steadily, asking, "But nothing ever came of them."

It wasn't a question, but she treated it like it was, answering at length, "That's the whole point of going on a first date – to see if you have that connection or spark with someone."

"From what I have heard: you can feel a spark from your first interaction."

"Sometimes," she added onto his sentence. "You can feel a spark _sometimes_. And sometimes, nothing comes of it. It's physical attraction sure, but there's nothing beyond that. Or sometimes you find that you don't feel a deep enough physical attraction."

"How many dates have you been on?"

"First dates?"

"Yes."

"Including tonight, I've been on eight first dates." When he was silent, she raised an eyebrow, asking daringly, "Does that bother you?"

"Should it?"

_Don't you dare strengthen those icy walls_, Sakura inwardly warned him. "Some guys don't like it when the women they're intending to marry has a past."

"How many of those first dates escalated into something more?"

She hummed at that, stroking the cats head when it stood up against her thigh, peering over the top of the table curiously. The relaxant would be out of its system shortly, but she had a feeling he wouldn't be leaving her anytime soon.

"One."

When it became apparent that she wouldn't be continuing without pushing, Itachi asked, "What happened?"

She huffed. "Why do you want to know?"

"Curiosity."

It seemed to surprise him when she rolled her eyes, like he hadn't expected it of her. "He's a civilian who lives close to my place. There was physical attraction prior to the first date, but during the date I found that it wouldn't really go anywhere beyond that. He was too…"

"Gentle for our profession."

She grimaced. "Yeah. He couldn't understand why we put ourselves at such great risks for the sake of the village, when half the time, we're never acknowledged for it."

"He would eventually wish for you to retire."

"Possibly," Sakura agreed with a nod. "Most civilians wish to settle down and start having children really young – it's why my parents keep saying I'm wasting my life. So, even if he never said the words, I knew he'd want that eventually. I'd become a housewife. I'd give him children and that'd be it for me."

"Had that not been the case, would you have continued seeing him?"

She breathed in deeply, trying to find the words that would best explain the sticky situation that was her heart. Half the time, even she couldn't understand it. "Honestly? I don't know. The physical attraction was there and his personality was okay, I guess."

"But?"

"But…" Again, Sakura grimaced. "I just didn't feel it."

Seemingly thoughtfully, Itachi nodded, his gaze drawn to the black head of fur that popped up from beneath the table once more, the cat's startling golden eyes peeking curiously up at them. Now that they were able to see more, Sakura found that it was mainly the cat's head that was fully black – its mane and chest area was streaked with charcoal fur and the rest of his body was a mixture of the two.

"It must be difficult for you, then," he said, not unkindly. "Entering an arranged marriage."

"It's hard for everyone, don't you think?"

"I suppose, in a way," Itachi agreed. "However, I have known all my life that this would be my future. I am at peace with it."

How gentle of him. "I'm not," she admitted without pause. "It's nothing against you, Uchiha-san. I'm sure you're a great person once people get to know you and I'm sure we're going to be friends at some point. But that doesn't change the fact that this is all against my will."

"I understand."

Gods, she was getting emotional, but she couldn't help it. The betrayal of her parents had shaken her. "Didn't you see their faces when they heard I have to give you an heir soon?"

"They would have already come to terms with that aspect of our marriage."

She supposed it wouldn't be a surprise for them. But for her, it was heart-breaking. "We don't know each other. Sasuke-kun rarely talks about you. The villagers know nothing about you. I'm going off nothing here, Uchiha-san."

"As am I."

"You're telling me you haven't researched me whatsoever? Haven't had anyone look into me? Haven't asked Sasuke-kun any questions?"

The accusatory tone wasn't lost on him. "I suppose, in a way, I have your popularity to my advantage. However, gossip and odd pieces of information Sasuke happens to pass on does not mean I know you."

"Okay," she relented. "But you have to admit, it's given you a basic understanding of my character."

"Perhaps."

"All I really know about you is that you work hard for the village. You graduated early at the top of your class, activated your sharingan much younger than the average Uchiha and you excel in taijutsu, ninjutsu and especially genjutsu."

"How would you know about my sharingan, if you claim to know nothing?"

"Sasuke-kun wanted to activate his even younger – that's how."

They were butting heads, weren't they? Sakura took a calming breath, knowing she had to take it down a notch. It was one thing to make her unwillingness for the marriage to show. It was a whole other mess to make Itachi feel unwanted and uncomfortable. It wasn't his fault. He was trapped, too.

"Dinner is ready," he informed her, glancing over her shoulder and nodding once. "But first, I would like to introduce you to our waiter for this evening."

She didn't look behind her, knowing that it would look rude in some eyes to do so. Instead, she stroked the cat's head a final time and shifted in her seat, carefully crossing her legs, ensuring she didn't touch his leg.

There was no hiding her shock, however, as the waiter came to a stop beside the table, her stomach twisting as she recognised the hardened features of the Uchiha who had spat at her feet earlier that day.

"You-"

"I believe you two have already met," Itachi stated blandly. "Tonight, Sakura, to make amends for the abhorrent way you were treated, Fumio-san will be our host. He will wait on us hand and foot." Languidly, he looked up at the man, features stoic and intimidating, shocking Sakura as she realised that he hadn't been cold with her at all. Compared to the treatment Fumio was receiving, he'd practically been beaming. "He understands the implications should either of us find his service anything less than satisfactory."

Holy–

Fumio was less than impressed – she could see it in his eyes – but he remained calm, expression growing impassive as he bowed low at the waist. "Of course, Itachi-sama."

He raised an eyebrow when their gazes connected.

Oh, there was _so much_ reluctance in his posture as Fumio faced her, saying, "Haruno-sama."

"I'll have a glass of sake, please," she said, undeniably taking great pleasure from ordering him around. "Oh and before you go," she added in a sing-song voice, looking to him from the corner of her eye. "Should any of what I'm about to eat or drink be tampered with, or should you decide you would like to grace me with the honour of your saliva once more, you won't have to worry about him." Green eyes narrowed, her expression darkening with her renowned rage as she warned him, "I will gladly make you the test subject of a new poison I've yet to find a successful antidote for. So far, it's killed many. I'll be more than willing to add you to that list – if, of course, I somehow fail to find the right antidote."

He nodded, jaw clenching.

She smiled sweetly. "You can get me my sake now."

Only once Fumio was out of earshot did Itachi ask, "His saliva?"

"Oh. That," she said and shrugged. "He spat at my feet."

"I see," he murmured, dark eyes straying to the figure that had already disappeared. "It seems you have evoked enough fear to avoid any further incidents."

"I learned from the best," she told him with a smile. "Shishou always tells me that I can't let men walk all over me. I have to stand up for myself and show that while they may technically be the dominant gender, us women are far superior in other ways."

"May I ask how?"

She smirked at that. "It depends on who you ask. If you asked me or Tsunade-shishou, we'd tell you that even without chakra, no man can match our strength. Physically, we're superior. We also have the added bonus of being able to bear children." Well, she did, anyway. Tsunade had hit menopause a long time ago. "If you were to ask… Ino, for example, she'd tell you that she's far superior due to her womanly charms. There's only one man who's rejected her that I know of and that's you." Shrugging, she added, "She's also a master of the mind and can reduce the most level-headed individuals to never-ending insanity."

Much to her astonishment, Itachi smirked. "Are you speaking of Yamanaka Ino?" When she nodded, he said, "I can recall the day she asked me on a date."

Her interest was most definitely piqued and Sakura sat up straighter, leaning on the table. "I was too angry with her to ask what happened."

He must have sensed that that was her way of demanding answers, because Itachi said, "I was walking home from a mission when she approached me." Oh, that was never the best of times to speak to shinobi. The majority of them were utterly exhausted and just wanted to go home but had to speak with the Hokage first – something that would instantly put them in a bad mood. "She used her – as you eloquently phrased it – womanly charm when I declined the first time."

Oh, no. "The first time?"

"During the short conversation, she asked four times."

_Gods, Ino-Pig_, Sakura thought with an inward snort of amusement, _talk about desperate._ "Let me guess," she drawled, rolling her eyes. "Her womanly charm consisted of her pushing her breasts together and draping herself over you."

"Essentially."

Predictable Ino. Though, saying that, no other man had ever rejected her. Her breasts _always_ sealed the deal and if she had to, then her simply putting an ounce of effort into the conversation did it. They were always ecstatic that a woman with Ino's appearance was taking notice of them and rarely thought twice about it.

"Here is your dinner, Itachi-sama, Haruno-sama."

She sat back, allowing Fumio to place the plates down and to make a point of not fearing him, she immediately picked up her cutlery and started eating, holding the man's gaze while taking the first bite. To ensure she wasn't eating food that'd been tampered with (whether that was his saliva or something more sinister), she had her chakra break the first few bites down to nothing. Only when she realised it was only cooking ingredients did Sakura continue her conversation with Itachi, dismissing Fumio entirely.

"So, this mission we're going to go on," she began, pausing to eat another mouthful of the delicious meal set out before her. "Have you decided who will be going and what kind of mission it'll be?"

Itachi nodded, finishing what was in his mouth before telling her, "It will be ourselves and we will be going on an s-ranked mission."

Damn it. She had little to no experience in that area.

He must have been able to read her, as he said, "I understand you have not been on an s-ranked mission before. However, understand that I will not let you die. This is purely to test your strength."

"And whether I have to retire from being a kunoichi."

"This is your bet."

"I know, I know," she said with a sigh, refraining from rubbing her forehead. "I'm confident in my strength, body and knowledge, but I'm unsure what to expect."

When she felt him staring, she looked to him, frowning as his eyes searched her features. "It would feel like a copout to say that it is just like any other mission, but that is essentially all it is. It is not far beyond an a-ranked mission, in my eyes." There was a pause and during said pause, she ate more of her dinner. "I have had s-ranked missions that should have fallen under the a-ranked category and vice versa."

"That's not always the case, though," she argued quietly, her frown returning. "I've had errors in my mission rankings before and more often than not, it's due to the client not wishing to pay more money."

"Perhaps."

"You don't agree?"

He met her gaze once more. "Sometimes, the person assigning missions makes an error."

It wasn't always Tsunade who assigned missions. She had a wonderful team backing her up, taking on the lower ranked missions so that she could focus on tougher ones, not wanting her team to be on the receiving end of the guilt when one team didn't return from the mission they'd assigned. However, saying that, Sakura knew that sometimes, the council members assigned missions of all rankings, also. And they were really getting on in their years. She supposed mistakes were bound to happen, although they shouldn't, due to it being _their_ lives on the line.

"What are you saying?"

"I'm merely saying that there are fine details that place missions from one rank to the next. The s-ranked mission we will take could potentially feel more like an a-ranked mission but is classed as the next level due to a single detail." He took another mouthful of food, swallowing it before continuing with, "Often, those fine details are overlooked due to many factors, namely the target or where the mission will take the shinobi."

Ah, she understood a little better. Going back to her meal, she said while smiling, "Well, I'll trust that you won't let me die, Uchiha-san."

"Itachi."

Her smile faltered, eyes widening on his, almost missing the large cat as it peered over the table once more, using her leg to lean on. Gently, she shooed him, following said shoo with a morsel of her food.

"You may call me Itachi."

She smiled.

_Bingo._


	7. Every Little Lie Gives Me Butterflies

**Chapter 5 – Every Little Lie Gives Me Butterflies**

"Thank you for your help today, Haruno-sensei."

She nodded, cheeks warming when the medic bowed at the waist, thanking her formally.

Since news broke of her engagement to the Uchiha clan's heir, many of her comrades – both fellow shinobi and medics – changed the way they addressed her. Oh, there had always been respect, but it was out of choice. It was always a pleasant respect that she'd earned, more like kindness, in some ways. Now, it seemed as though they all felt obligated to be formally respectful towards her, choosing their words carefully.

Even walking through the hospital's corridors felt different. People either stared after her without caring about being discreet, or they averted their eyes like she would suddenly activate the sharingan and use it against them.

It was also cleaner than usual, Sakura noticed, hand trailing along the handrail that supported those who were old or ill before inspecting her fingertips – not that the hospital was ever unclean, but it certainly wasn't up to such high standards. The cleaners always slacked in one area or another, however, as of late, it had been meticulous.

Sakura hesitated outside her office, sighing as she sensed the chakra signatures waiting for her inside. Honestly, she would have rather dealt with them away from the hospital, where she would be able to physically force her idiotic teammate into listening to her, but she knew that was why they'd chosen to ambush her in her office. It was neutral territory, for Sakura would never lash out there, knowing it would damage the building and put so many innocent lives at risk.

Pausing, hand faltering on the handle, Sakura breathed in deeply and entered her office. At first, she ignored the three men watching her closely, focusing on her task of removing her lab jacket and hanging it on the back of the door. Then, she worked on ruffling her hair, assessing her appearance in the mirror next to the door as she fixed her bangs. Behind her, she saw via their reflections the blond shifting from one foot to the other, his cheek moving like he was biting down on it.

Surprisingly, he was beaten to the punch of speaking first, their former sensei asking her, "How are you feeling?"

She snorted at that, briefly meeting the final member of Team Seven's eye before looking away, irritated when all she saw was his older brother.

"Awful," she confessed without restraint and turned, hands coming to her hips. "Trapped. Scared. Angry. Hurt. Alone."

"That's…"

"How the hell can you feel all those things all at once?" demanded Naruto, pulling at his hair. "That's too much."

"For you maybe," she replied haughtily and made her way over to her desk, sitting back on her chair with a huff. Aching feet soon kicked up onto her desk and Sakura leaned back, hands folding on her stomach. "I've had two days to try and process my impending nuptials."

"Nuptials?"

"The marriage."

Naruto nodded, glancing to Sasuke out of the corner of his eye before he was approaching her desk. "He's not okay with it, y'know."

Yes, she knew. "Sasuke-kun is more than capable of speaking up for himself, Naruto."

"But you know he won't," he whined in return. "I don't want this tearing the team apart."

She laughed at that, startling the two men who weren't in on all the gory details of what her marriage to Itachi would mean for her. It was a discomforting kind of laugh, one that had them warily meeting each other's gazes, wondering if she was possibly going through some kind of breakdown. That wariness only doubled when her tears started, when she sobbed through her laughter, no doubt looking deranged.

It was then that Sasuke spoke up, so quietly that she almost drowned him out, "She'll be matriarch to the clan."

Kakashi instantly caught on, his breath leaving him in a weighted sigh. "Meaning you might have to retire, for the risk of you being killed in action."

She could only nod, feet returning to the floor and her head falling into her hands, shoulders shaking.

"But they can't do that," Naruto snarled, whirling around to glare at Sasuke like it was his fault. "You know how hard Sakura-chan's worked, Sasuke. Can't you say anything?"

"I tried explaining that Sakura can't die in battle, but they won't listen."

"They won't want to take the risk."

"This is bullshit," yelled Naruto and his hand lashed out, slamming into her desk angrily, causing whatever had been left there to shake. He was leaning over it when she looked up at him, the sight of her tears making his scowl crumble, leaving him helpless. "Sakura-chan…"

Weakly, she wiped at her eyes, but the tears fell faster than she could keep up with. "I managed to make a deal with Itachi when we went-"

"Itachi?"

"He told me to call him that," she said with a sigh. "And I gave him permission to call me Sakura."

"You _are_ going to be married," agreed Naruto in a mumble. "It'd be weird calling each other 'Uchiha-san'."

"What was the deal?" Kakashi asked.

She rubbed at her forehead, shutting her eyes and sighing again. "If I prove myself on a mission of his choosing, then he'll do all he can to support me in being an active kunoichi."

Her words seemed to concern Sasuke, Naruto demanding to know what his problem was, prompting him to say, "The elders will be on his back-"

"But she'll stay on the team-"

"At what cost?" demanded Sasuke, voice raising slightly, stunning them. He glared at the blond, but his expression softened somewhat when he met her gaze, frowning and it only _just_ occurred to her that he'd automatically assumed she would pass Itachi's test. "They already dislike Itachi – the elders, I mean. They don't trust his power and think he's too unpredictable. Adding this will ostracise him further."

Itachi was an outsider in his own clan? When he was the heir? That… wasn't what she'd been expecting. Sure, Sakura was well aware of him keeping everyone at arm's length, but she'd assumed it to be of his own doing, only briefly entertaining the idea of others avoiding _him_. But that didn't seem to be the case, much to her astonishment.

How shaky was his allegiance to his clan for them to view him in such a way? Had Itachi ever displayed disloyalty? Would they even share any details with him if they were planning a coup d'état?

She would have to report the new findings to Tsunade immediately.

"It was his choice," she half-lied.

"I didn't say it wasn't," argued Sasuke, continuing to frown. "I'm asking you to reconsider the deal for his sake."

"What?" Naruto all but screamed, whirling on him with a look of pure anger. "How the hell can you ask that of her, huh?"

"Are you aware of what you're asking, Sasuke?" questioned Kakashi, single eye narrowing fractionally. "Everything Sakura has ever worked for – all you've seen her go through – it'll all be for nothing."

He remained silent under their scrutiny, eyes remaining on hers, silently imploring with her to understand where he was coming from and she wanted to. Truly, Sakura wished she could be so selfless as to give it all up, but she couldn't. She had obligations. The village needed her.

"There are only two medics who can fight on the front lines," Sakura tried, brow puckering when Sasuke turned away, irritation obvious. "One being the Hokage – the village needs me to remain an active kunoichi, Sasuke-kun. I can't give it all up to become a housewife."

"And when you have to give him an heir?" he demanded.

Somehow, she managed to tune out Naruto's sudden outburst of utter rage, though she couldn't help but glance his way worriedly when she saw how red he was, when she noticed a vein in his forehead throbbing, soon accompanied by similar ones in his neck. He was all but frothing at the mouth.

"If I fall pregnant-"

"If?"

"It doesn't happen straightaway for some people," Sakura answered Sasuke's demand, his scowl grating on her nerves. "Sometimes, it takes time and changes of lifestyles and-"

"You-"

"At the end of the day, it has _nothing_ to do with you," Sakura suddenly exploded, standing, hands coming down on her desk with a thunderous _crack_. "It's bad enough I have to sleep with a man I have no feelings for – I don't need to feel interrogated by my team like they'll even _understand_ how I'm feeling. None of you have to know the ins and outs of this marriage."

"Sakura-chan…"

"No," she snapped, the build-up of stress from the past two days once more flooding to the surface, threatening a repeat of her hysterical crying should she be pushed too far. "Itachi and I made a deal. A bet where I'm willing to risk everything, should he believe I'm not cut out to remain an active kunoichi. It seems he's also risking a lot, too."

Her words had Kakashi's eye widening. "You understand what sort of missions Itachi-san is used to taking, don't you?"

Grimly, Sakura nodded once. She knew exactly what Uchiha Itachi was – being made an ANBU captain at the age of thirteen, even for an organisation as secretive as ANBU, made its rounds through the gossip vine. Someone, somewhere, blabbed before ANBU had the chance to silence them and by then, it was too late to stop word from travelling lest they slaughtered the entire village.

Being promoted to an ANBU captain while so young meant he'd seen some seriously messed up situations – experienced them or caused them, either or. It also meant he was used to the pressure of s-ranked missions and higher, although he'd assured her that what she was taking was merely s-ranked, bordering on a-ranked.

He'd stressed that point last night, Sakura had soon come to realise. The differences between mission rankings and the possibilities of them being incorrectly ranked. It had her wondering how many knew of their deal and whether they ordered what sort of mission she had to successfully complete. Believing that to be the reason why he mentioned it, Sakura couldn't help but feel slightly offended, while simultaneously feeling less alone.

Was she right in assuming he wanted her to remain an active kunoichi?

"He won't let me die," she repeated the vow he made last night.

"How can you be so sure?" asked Naruto, frowning. It seemed he'd calmed down, if only slightly.

She smiled weakly, pitifully, the sadness in her expression not missed by any of them as she said, "What sort of husband would let his wife die?"

* * *

"There you are."

Smiling, Sakura crouched on her balcony, hand outstretched and waiting as the friendly cat rushed forward, greeting her warmly, his affectionate purr making her smile soften.

It was awful of her, but she'd yet to name the cat, unable to choose a name that suited him. Everything either sounded too predictable or too basic, like nothing she thought of was good enough for him.

He was an explorer, she'd come to realise that morning when he continuously meowed at the glass doors, begging to be released. She'd worried endlessly at first, fearing he would get lost but fortunately for her that wasn't the case. Somehow, he'd even managed to return to the balcony. He was certainly intelligent.

Scooping him up in her arms, Sakura brought him inside, grinning when he rubbed his cheek on hers.

"I promise I'll give you a name soon," she swore.

The cat struggled upon entering her bedroom and she allowed it onto her bed, its purr stopping when there was a knock on her bedroom door.

Before she granted the person access, her father asked through the door, "_When are you going to stop coming and going like a delinquent?"_

She bristled, remaining silent as she knew she would yell at him if she didn't. With so little time left of living with her parents (even though she was still so impossibly angry with them), she didn't want to have any screaming matches with her father. Not yet, anyway. It would only make it so much harder, wouldn't it?

"_Do not ignore me, Sakura."_

Sakura took a deep breath, willing herself to remain calm. "What do you want me to say when you're picking a fight?"

The sight of the handle being pushed down had the cat hissing, much to her surprise and she looked to it, only able to stare as its fur stood on end. Could it sense the negative atmosphere? Was that why it was reacting in such an aggressive way?

"_Regardless of how you're feeling, I am still your father."_

Some father. "Leave me alone."

Holding out her hand when the cat began scooting back into the wall, Sakura frowned, murmuring calm reassurances to him. It took a while for it to listen to her, too stressed out to pay much attention, but eventually, he clambered into her arms once more, seeking comfort from her.

Shushing the cat, the stroked his head, refraining from kissing him as she reminded herself he hadn't been checked out by a vet yet. He didn't seem to have any fleas or other parasites, but to be on the safe side, she decided she would take him to Inuzuka Hana – Konoha's best vet.

The door handle jiggled again like he was struggling against it, reminding Sakura she'd locked it last night after her date, when her mother wouldn't leave her alone. "_Sakura-"_

In fact, she believed she could hear Hana calling her name.

Tightening her hold on the cat, Sakura slinked out through the balcony doors, effortlessly stepping onto the brick wall before vanishing over the ledge.

* * *

"As you know, I'm more of a dog person," murmured Hana as she resumed her examination of the cat, running her fingers through his fur in a seemingly calming stroke, but really searching for fleas, ticks and the dirt they left behind. "But you are one handsome cat, sir."

"Sir?"

The brunette looked to her, not for the first time startling Sakura with just how much she looked like Kiba – or Kiba looked like her, whichever it was. Their genetics were astonishing, though why she was so surprised when just about every clan had the same freakish cloning system going on, she was unsure.

They were in one of the examination rooms at her vet surgery and Sakura was more than grateful that they'd been seen relatively quickly. While the waiting room hadn't been full, it'd been getting there, the noise (especially the barking dogs) unsettling the cat in her arms.

"What you have here is a failed ninneko," Hana informed her cheerfully. Straightening, she stroked the cat's head, nonchalantly checking his ears and Sakura noticed in her other hand, she made a note about scabs. "More than likely, he would have come from a ninneko background, but it seems as though somebody gave up in training him."

"Oh," Sakura said thoughtfully. "I thought you meant _he_ was a failure – not that somebody had failed him."

"I meant both."

"…Oh."

Running her hand down the length of his back, the cat stood up, his tail raising and he tried to experience more of the gentle petting. "Training him won't be impossible, but it'll be difficult. It's best to start off young."

Honestly, Sakura didn't want to force the cat into becoming a ninneko, though she couldn't deny that the thought of having a handy little sidekick was appealing. If only there was a way to ask him, she pondered, assessing the cat thoughtfully until he edged closer to her, demanding that he be stroked.

"Is it only your clan's ninken you can talk to, Hana-san?" she asked.

She was silent for a moment, focusing on the cat. "I suppose I can always try communicating with him via my chakra," she supposed. "Although not all animals respond or know how to respond."

"I just want to know what he wants," she told her honestly, smiling when the cat stood up against her, paws planted on her chest, trying and succeeding to be eye level. "Oh and if he _does_ talk to you, can you ask him if he has a name, too?"

Her words seemed to amuse Hana, but she didn't comment on them and instead focused on the cat, attracting his attention with a tutting noise. Only for a few seconds did he linger around Sakura, soon won over by the temptation of a treat.

Concentration was written all over Hana's face, Sakura noticed with great intrigue, leaning down on the examination table, gaze drifting between the two when they focused on one another intently.

Suddenly, she began to feel the familiar thrum of chakra in the air, the cat stunning her by forgetting his need for love, sitting before Hana calmly. Sakura remained silent, though soon came to stand around the table beside the older woman, witnessing the change in character for herself.

"Kyo," Hana spoke aloud.

"Kyo?"

Her lips twitched like she was going to smile. "He said his name is Kyo."

Holy–

Green eyes were wide when she lowered herself, attracting the attention of Kyo. His startling golden eyes definitely displayed intelligence, though lacked that certain something that she'd seen other ninneko possess. Did that mean he was incapable of being one? Could he do simple tasks?

"Kyo-san," Sakura said, trying the name. It certainly fit with his character, as so far, he'd longed to be accepted and loved. "I like it."

Whatever he was saying to Hana irritated her greatly and she found out why when the woman repeated for Sakura, "He said he's useless as a ninneko, hence the reason he was abandoned. His partner grew tired of the training and wanted a ninneko who was a fast learner."

Her heart went out to Kyo, but she didn't show her pity, instead standing up straight with a smile. "If you want to be a ninneko, Kyo-san, I have a very important, highly classified mission that you could help me with."

Having a ninneko would most definitely be useful for her. If Kyo was willing to, he could listen in on important meetings, acting as the ordinary cat Itachi believed him to be.

"He is worried he'll fail you."

"Nonsense," Sakura argued and reached out, holding out her hand until he willingly came to her, allowing her to stroke him. "We all work at different levels, Kyo-san and no matter how long it takes, I'll stay by your side and help you. I promise, I won't ever give up on you or leave you behind."

A smile pulled on Hana's lips and she straightened, looking down at her while saying, "He wishes to connect with you."

"Connect?"

"Similar to a summoning contract," began Hana and she turned, rifling through a drawer before pulling out a scroll. Sakura only briefly assessed the scroll, her attention soon returning to Kyo. "You connect through the use of your chakra, but there's no summoning necessary."

She frowned at that. She had always planned on researching bonds like Kiba's and Akamaru's, or his entire clan's to their ninken, but something had always intervened and demanded her attention. She supposed she now had the excuse she needed to delve into that research.

"Kakashi-sensei has a summoning contract with his ninken pack, right?"

"Yes. Some do. My clan, however, do not. We bond with our ninken on a personal level." While speaking, she opened the scroll, laying it flat on the examining table. "We connect with our ninken with the use of our chakra – I suppose you could say we entwine ourselves with our ninken."

That _did_ sound a hell of a lot more personal. "Are there risks?"

"You will experience everything the other experiences."

"So if I'm hurt or die-"

"No physical harm will come to Kyo, or you if he should be harmed or die, but mentally you will feel as though you're experiencing it first-hand."

Could she really put that on him? When her own training was so brutal? When she was always at risk of being harmed out on the battlefield?

"The added benefit is that connecting via chakra means interrogators would never find out about him," she added, not noticing her inner conflict. "There's no contract for them to discover and no true way of pinning him to you."

That was quite the coincidence, Sakura thought to herself, eyeing Kyo. Almost like Hana knew she needed–

Wait, she'd already told them that she needed a partner for her highly classified mission. So it wasn't so much a coincidence as it was a helpful tip from one kunoichi to another.

"You'll also know where the other is at all times, kind of like you're hyperaware of each other."

Interesting.

"In some cases, if your bond is really strong, you can look through his eyes rather than have him relay everything back to you."

Sold.

_Oh she was so sold_.

"What do you say, Kyo-san?" she asked and leaned down so that they were eye level again, smiling hopefully, kindly, at him. "Would you like to become my ninneko?"


	8. Don't Try To Change Me In Any Way

**Chapter 6 –** **Don't Try To Change Me In Any Way**

Keeping her footwork nimble, she danced around the clones, ducking where necessary and blocking the attacks that rained down on her.

"Is this really necessary?" demanded Naruto, his glare over in Itachi's direction anything but conspicuous. It was only amplified when the elders of the clan made their presence known by joining their heir. "Shouldn't they already know about your strengths?"

Catching a fist that shot out from behind her, grazing her shoulder, Sakura growled, hurtling Naruto across the field before leaping backwards, eyes focused on Sasuke's katana as he joined the spar.

"Itachi informed them of the deal you made," Sasuke muttered and spun, readjusting his hold on his katana to correspond with his new stance. "They want to see you in action for themselves."

"This isn't real battle," she growled and ducked beneath his striking blade, hand coming up to his face and it was only due to his sharingan that Sasuke avoided the flick on the forehead, the tips of his ears burning. "And I have no intentions of fighting you both for real."

They'd kill her. If they were fighting one-on-one, then sure, she'd stand a chance, but going against their teamwork and their combos would be stupid of her. She'd seen many fall victim to their joint attacks and Sakura sure as hell didn't plan to be one of them.

_Shit._

She tucked and rolled out of the way when Naruto lunged with his Rasengan, stunning her with the fact he was actually using such a powerful jutsu against her and during the distraction of the ground exploding upon impact, Sakura sent a couple of clones underground. Then, she leaped backwards out of the smoke, senses stretching out to pick up on her teammates.

As soon as she registered their chakra signatures, Sakura's foot touched down on the ground for a fraction of a second before she twisted her body in their direction and used it to propel herself forward, fist drawing back.

Like she'd been expecting him to, Naruto dodged and her fist collided with the tree, causing it to collapse to the ground with a heaving groan.

Neither of them were physically strong enough to use it as a weapon, so Sakura pretended to ignore the fallen tree and whirled on Sasuke, blocking his katana with two kunai she'd grabbed from her pouch.

"You need to do better," he muttered to her under his breath, lips barely moving so that they couldn't lip read.

Yes, she knew that already. It wouldn't be all about rushing in with raw strength and fighting her way out, hoping for the best. They'd want to see how she handled battle under pressure. They'd want to see her _mind_ in action – or her strategic thinking, to be more exact.

The air shifting behind her had Sakura slamming her knee upwards to startle him and leaning back, dodging Naruto's fist as he flew over her head and straight into Sasuke.

Smirking as they began their usual bickering, Sakura took advantage of their distraction and had her clones preparing the fallen tree for her, pretending that she was doing nothing more than standing and waiting.

"Idiot."

_Done._

Sakura gritted her teeth and dashed over to the tree, her clones disappearing as she yelled, "You're both idiots!"

It was with a growl that she launched the full sized tree at the two men, their disbelieving expressions comical until Sasuke's sharingan noticed the sizzling tags that were ready to be set off.

"Naruto-"

_Too late._

She grinned to herself while putting more space between them, the explosions threatening to knock her off balance.

Why they were still stunned by her strength was beyond her, but Sakura never complained as it rarely failed to give her an advantage in their spars – well, only when she did something drastic, such as throwing trees.

Narrowing her eyes fractionally, she dug her heels into the dirt, coming to a stop a few feet away from the Uchiha heir and elders, her stance defensive and ready.

The second she saw her boys moving, her hands moved, flying through seals when she noticed Sasuke doing the same. Fortunately for her, it'd been raining the night before, the moisture that continued to cling to the grass and trees enough for her to take advantage of.

"_Katon: Gōkakyū no Jutsu!_"

"_Suiton: Mizurappa!"_

The collision granted her mist to hide more clones within and she breathed in deeply, granting herself access to her reserves to continue the spar with her strategy.

Once they were hidden, Sakura kept her eyes on Sasuke's, smirking at his cold expression. The pair of them were covered in minor burns, their clothing taking the brunt of the attack (although she _did_ notice a part of Naruto's hair was now shorter than the rest). No doubt he hated being bested in front of his clan – no, his older brother.

"Give up yet?" she asked.

"Hell no," yelled Naruto in return, grinning. "We're just getting started."

She lowered herself, left foot sliding back in the damp grass, allowing her to slip into a position that would add more speed to her run. "You sure?"

"Just don't go throwing any more trees," he said with a laugh. "There's old guys behind you, y'know. You'll give them heart attacks."

With that, she shot off, running straight for them and when Naruto managed to dodge her attack, Sasuke came in on her, his punch grazing her cheek and making her eyes narrow further.

"You're pulling your punches," she snapped.

"This is a-"

Red and black eyes were wide when she whirled round on him with renewed speed, her foot landing firmly in his stomach and sending him careening across the training grounds.

"If you won't take me seriously, stay the hell out of this," she yelled at him, turning her attention on a paling, gulping Naruto.

He grinned sheepishly, waving his hands at her. "J-Just remember you're not mad at me, okay?"

She smirked.

Her clones acted fast, all three sending different water jutsu Naruto's way, trapping him as he struggled to defend against the jutsu without running straight into her. After a handful of seconds, she was breathing out more water, taking note of the soaked training grounds with an inward nod of approval. They were all standing in sludge, the puddles at least three centimetres deep. That was more than enough for her.

"Seriously."

The dark tone of Sasuke's voice had her turning and raising a daring brow. His stance was one she recognised easily and her suspicions were confirmed when sparks of electricity danced along his outline.

"You want me to take you seriously."

She noticed Itachi shutting his eyes, head shaking minutely. Unlike his younger brother, he could clearly see what she'd backed them into.

"Yes," she replied offhandedly, noticing that Naruto was now panting behind her, collapsed in a huge puddle of water. "Otherwise you're just wasting my time."

"You…"

The second he activated his Chidori Nagashi, Sakura leaped into the sky, grinning when she met the vaguely impressed eyes of Uchiha Itachi. It seemed he'd jumped when she had, following her example of throwing kunai at nearby trees (that were obviously out of range of the current), using the wires attached to them to swing themselves to safety.

Anyone left on the ground was promptly electrocuted, including the caster of the jutsu.

Or so she'd thought.

Grin vanishing, Sakura grabbed at the branch above the one she'd been prepared to land on, using her core to swing herself over it, dodging the kunai thrown at her.

No, she wasn't wrong, she realised, watching as Sasuke struggled to remain standing. Naruto was long lost to unconsciousness, his twitching body making her sigh.

"You're both too easy to piss off."

"How disappointing," Itachi murmured from his place on the branch beneath hers. His eyes were fixed on his younger brother, Sakura saw when she dropped down to the same level as him, sparing a glance up at him. "I expected better of you, Sasuke."

"It's not every day we have an audience," Sakura said in his defence and her arms folded across her chest, eyes narrowing. "What do you all want?"

He sighed, gesturing the clan elders. All but one had made it to safety, the old guy shaking in a way that had her frowning worriedly. "They wished to see you in action."

Deeming it safe to do so, Sakura jumped down from the tree delicately, offering the elder a kind, apologetic smile. "I'm sorry you got caught up in that, Uchiha-san," she told him gently and held out her hands. "Would you like for me to heal you? Those two boneheads can wait."

How was his heart coping with the stress of being electrocuted? Sakura found that it wasn't well, as he allowed her to examine him and she shut her eyes, easing it into a slower, steadier pace. Once that was sorted, along with the damage caused by being electrocuted, he was no longer a sickly grey colour. There was no saving his hair, however. He had to deal with the shame of being caught by such an attack.

"Thank you, Haruno-san."

The thanks surprised her, but she didn't allow it to show. "So, how did I do?" she asked when Itachi and the other elders approached.

"There is much work to be done," one of the others said, making her roll her eyes. Of course they wouldn't congratulate her on managing to trick one of the smartest shinobi she knew, alongside the most unpredictable. "We would like for you to learn our clan's signature jutsu."

Green eyes widened, instantly seeking out Itachi's, then Sasuke's. As pissed as he was with her for embarrassing him in front of not only the elders, but also his brother, he seemed proud of her and for that, she grinned.

"Itachi has informed us of your plans for training together," the man went on and she wondered if he was the spokesperson for the elders. He appeared to be the youngest with his still coloured hair and finer wrinkles, though she knew looks were deceiving. "He will be the most efficient for teaching you the fire style jutsu."

"This will all be discussed in the next meeting."

Meeting. Trust the Uchiha Clan to make a marriage sound more like business.

Rolling her eyes, Sakura watched as Naruto was pulled to his feet, part of her relaxing as she saw he was perfectly fine. Of course, the Kyuubi would have healed him as soon as he started taking damage, so she knew not to worry, but it never stopped her from doing so.

"Any news on our mission?" asked Sakura, trying to fill the silence.

"We will be leaving after the meeting. It should take roughly a week."

A week alone with Itachi would be useful, she decided, though she couldn't help but feel a vague sense of apprehension at the thought of what it would entail. She hoped, more than anything, that it wouldn't be the typical, cliché infiltration mission where they had to pose as a couple (they _always _ended in disaster from what she'd heard through the grape vine), or one where she'd have to strip and use her body for information. What Sakura really wanted was a mission where she could utilise her strengths. She wanted a mission that allowed her to get a reading on _his_.

The meeting was tomorrow morning, coincidentally and while it didn't give her much time to strategize, Sakura liked to believe she was a quick thinker. She would be capable of thinking of something on the spot, should the moment call for it.

"Oi," muttered Naruto seriously, his voice low.

They each turned to face him and Sakura couldn't help the way her expression saddened at his. It was undeniably sad, his eyes downcast.

"What is it, Naruto-kun?" Itachi questioned.

"I know this marriage is a load of shit," he said and ignored the outrage that shone on the elders' faces, his blue eyes fixed on Itachi's, narrowing fractionally in warning. "And I get that you don't care for her."

"Naruto-" she tried, stepping forward.

"Sakura-chan's strong, so she doesn't need me to warn you to look out for her on this test," continued Naruto like she hadn't said a word and he shrugged out of Sasuke's hand when the Uchiha reached out to him, trying to get through to him. "But if you're setting her up to fail, I'll know."

"Oh?"

"And what, pray tell, will you do?" questioned one of the elders spitefully, his cackling laughter rubbing her the wrong way.

But he wouldn't look away from Itachi, his stare down intense and setting Sakura's nerves on edge, because she knew that Naruto was not all talk. The warning hanging in the air around them was not to be ignored.

"Sakura-chan's family," he went on to say, his voice still calm and level, belying the rage she knew was swelling to life within him. "She's _my_ family. Husband or not, I'll beat the shit out of you if you try to take away everything she's worked hard for."

She knew the others would see it clearly on her expression, but Sakura couldn't help the way she warmed to her best friend in that moment, her heart clenching as he vowed to protect all she'd worked for.

Inwardly shaking off her emotions, she smirked proudly, saying, "Like I'd let them, Naruto."

He grinned in return, seriousness vanishing instantly like she knew it would at her words. "C'mon, Sakura-chan. It's Sasuke's treat for ramen."

"No, it's not-"

"I got electrocuted because of you," he snapped.

Already walking towards them, Sakura sighed and ignored the incredulous stares of the elders boring into her team. She ignored Itachi's stoic features as he continued to regard them. Instead, as her boys continued to bicker, she reached out, first putting the blond in a headlock he had no hopes in breaking, then grabbing Sasuke by the scruff of his neck and dragging him down to her height, forcing them both to start walking.

"As long as I'm not paying, I'll come," she said cheerily, smiling.

* * *

Standing before her shishou, Sakura's hands came together behind her back, her stance strong and assertive as she awaited her orders. As always, the blonde assessed her critically, trying to spot any signs of weakness in her stance, a small look of pride shining in her amber eyes when she found none.

Appearing in her office looking weak or tired or whatever else, was unacceptable. Sakura had discovered that mere weeks into her apprenticeship.

By her side stood Itachi, his body language calm and confident and while he was unarmed, she had no doubts that he was capable of springing to action should they suddenly be attacked.

"Uchiha Itachi, you requested a mission for yourself and Haruno Sakura. An s-ranked mission."

"I did, Hokage-sama."

"As you already know, I cannot carelessly assign missions to shinobi when I'm not wholly confident in their ability to complete it," stated Tsunade and she sat forward in her chair, hands folding on her desk. Not too far from those hands rested a scroll, one Sakura knew would be their mission. "Sakura has never been on an s-ranked mission before. What's more, she will be working without her team and instead with a complete stranger."

Before either of them could say anything, Tsunade continued, saying, "However, in our profession we must learn to adapt. This is what I have always taught Sakura. So I have granted your request of an s-ranked mission – it is one that will showboat her many skills, which is what you want, correct?"

He nodded once.

She smirked faintly, eyes shutting for a brief moment until she was assessing them critically once more, those red painted lips setting into a flat line. "This mission will involve infiltration, seduction and the assassination of a woman who poses a great threat to the Daimyō of Fire Nation."

Wow. So much for easing her into it, Sakura thought sulkily. The pressure truly was on for their mission, wasn't it? If she failed, she would essentially put the Daimyō in grave danger. No, scratch that. The entire freaking nation would be in danger.

She refused to show her nerves, gaze focused on Tsunade.

"This woman is known for her…" She trailed off, seemingly trying to find the most politically correct way of phrasing what the woman was. "Promiscuity." Folded hands came up to her mouth as Tsunade leaned forward, amber eyes narrowing fractionally. "To be blunt: she enjoys sex more than your average person and is never without a lover."

"Good luck, Itachi," she told him without much sympathy. After all, he'd no doubt chosen the mission knowing what it entailed. He knew he had to seduce a nymph.

"Actually, Sakura, the target's sexual preference is women."

Women…

"Is that a problem?" questioned Itachi, copying her earlier example by showing no sympathy.

She refrained from gritting her teeth. Of course it wasn't a problem. She wasn't a homophobe and she was comfortable in her sexuality. The issue was that she _knew_ Itachi had chosen the mission to test her. He believed she'd shy away from it.

"Not at all," she said with a fake smile, one that had her shishou smirking behind her hands. "But make sure to have your sharingan activated, Itachi. I might be able to give you some tips for future reference."

Much to her absolute pleasure and astonishment, he blushed somewhat.

She pretended _not_ to be slack jawed and she saw her shishou was equally impressed.

"I'm confident in your skills, Sakura," Tsunade eventually continued, repeatedly glancing to Itachi's heated cheeks until the colour faded entirely. "You are trained extensively in all areas. Granted, you haven't been on a seduction mission in a while and you have never been given a female target-"

"I can do it, Shishou," she assured her. "If anything, I'll have an advantage."

"How so?"

She looked up at Itachi, raising an eyebrow. "In case you haven't noticed: I'm a woman, too, y'know."

Yes, she was aware that everyone had different turn-ons and buttons, but being a woman seducing another woman _did_ give her an advantage, she believed. Unlike men who were prone to such a thing, she wouldn't get lost in the passion and would remember that she was seducing the target for a reason. She would also know that it wasn't all about sex, as foreplay was just as important, if not more so. In some ways, it would be more difficult as most women generally didn't fall for the same tricks as men (Sakura was aware of how sexist that sounded, but she was also not wrong), but they _did_ have weaknesses she could exploit.

If she had been the target, Sakura was aware of the fact that her hopeless romantic side was a major weakness. A few pretty words, an interactive, thought out date (as in they actually connected and enjoyed each other's company, rather than sitting opposite one another awkwardly or worse, watching a movie), a kind gesture or two and she was putty in the person's hands. That and neck and back kisses. They were incredibly sensitive areas for her.

"If this woman's reputation isn't exaggerated, then she'll be on the lookout for a new lover and if not, then staying faithful will be difficult for her. All I really have to do is prove I'm a worthy lover," Sakura explained and looked up at Itachi again, raising an eyebrow. "Considering it's an infiltration mission and we'll be gone roughly a week, we'll have the opportunity to watch her for a while. That'll give me the chance to gauge her personality and come up with a plan on how to approach her."

"And you're comfortable with this?" he asked.

"With seducing someone?" He nodded once and she rolled her eyes. "I'm entering an arranged marriage and I'll eventually have to give you an heir. Being a prude isn't going to work for me, is it?"

"Sakura-"

"I'm sorry, Tsunade-sama," she said and it was obvious to them all that she just barely held back the urge to snap the words. "But I'm not going to pretend like I'm suddenly okay with this arranged marriage – and I get it, I do," Sakura added in a sigh when Itachi's mouth opened. "It's against your will, too. But this isn't your future on the line here, Itachi. It's mine. And to be a shinobi means to endure, so I'm enduring. Albeit, grumpily." Smirking faintly, she said to him quietly, "You'll just have to excuse whatever your future wife has to do and not let it have an impact on your opinion of me."

It unnerved her when he watched her for several moments, no specific emotion on his features and she could feel Tsunade's eyes on them. "It is a mission," he eventually said in reply. "Whatever you must do is for the sake of the village."

Showing her nerves of having to seduce someone wasn't acceptable, so Sakura instead returned her gaze to Tsunade, standing to attention, waiting patiently for her to either continue or dismiss them. Part of her longed for the older woman to continue, because otherwise they had no choice but to meet with their families for the meeting to decide on specifications for their wedding. Gods, Sakura was tempted to tell them to do whatever the hell they wanted. The less she had to do with it the better.

The details were discussed extensively – perhaps more than what was necessary – but Sakura couldn't complain. The more she talked about it, the more details she heard, the more she drilled it into her head that the mission was going to be successful. Already, she was thinking of different strategies and approaches.

After all, her entire future, everything she'd worked for, even the goddamn Fire Nation, was riding on the mission's success.

She could not fail.

"You're both dismissed," Tsunade told them after twenty minutes.

It was silent as they left the Hokage Tower, coming to a slow halt on the street as they caught sight of the stares once more.

"How long do you think they'll stare at us like that for?"

"You know more than I do when it comes to gossip," Itachi responded simply, looking out at the nosey villagers. "I tend to avoid it."

Yes, she knew that already.

If she was to hazard a guess, then Sakura would say things would die down after the wedding. They would remain the hottest topic until then, with people wondering if they would last, if they would even make it to the wedding day. Was she carrying his bastard child? Was it a coverup staged by the Uchiha Clan in order to preserve their traditional appearances? Had it been an affair all along?

"We'll probably hear hundreds of different stories," Sakura told him.

"Oh?"

"I'm leaning more towards we're pregnant and your clan is acting fast before I start to show."

Surprisingly, Itachi hummed with amusement and resumed walking, heading in the direction of the venue for their meeting. "Had you not been the Hokage's apprentice, they would have acted fast in other ways."

What? Sakura watched after him, horrified until she rushed after Itachi, struggling to keep up. "What?"

"Hm?"

"What do you mean they would've acted fast?"

"Haven't you heard the stories?" he asked, raising an eyebrow at her. "My – _our _clan is ruthless. We are not against the murder of expectant mothers."

"Oi," she snarled and grabbed his arm, ignoring the looks of shock surrounding them. "You better be joking."

For a moment or two, she feared the worst when all Itachi did was look down at her, patiently waiting for her to accept the harsh reality she was facing.

But then he smirked. Albeit, sadly.

"It's disheartening that you didn't immediately assume I was lying."

Okay, so maybe she _had_ been prejudiced against them (due to all the horror stories she'd heard over the years), but… "What you said was hardly fair," she tried to argue. "Things like that _do_ happen – and you said it so seriously, too."

"I assure you, they don't within my clan."

"So you pranked me?" she exclaimed, her grin breaking through the stern expression she'd been going for. Many looked between them, curious as to what they were discussing to cause such a sudden change in the mood, but she refused to let them overhear anything and out of respect (and fear of being too obvious), they parted around them while walking by, leaving at least three to four feet of space between them. "You? Uchiha Itachi?"

"Was it much different to what you said in the office?"

"What did I say?"

"I should have my sharingan activated," he reminded her and kept his eyes forward. It only caused her grin to grow until she was outright laughing at him. "For future reference."

"That's not a prank," she said, continuing to laugh. Oh, he was more clueless than she'd originally thought – in terms of social interactions, she meant.

"Dare I ask what it is?"

"It's just friendly advice from a woman on the edge."

Much to her gratefulness, less people stared at them as they walked towards their destination and Sakura wondered if their families had chosen the place for that reason. They were further away from the centre of Konoha, where less people frequented.

"I mean, just because we're not in love and maybe won't ever be in love and we're stuck in an emotionally draining marriage, that doesn't mean we can't have great sex while producing heirs, does it?"

_Yes._

She was once more giggling to herself when Itachi blushed for the second time that day.

"I never would have thought you were a prude," she said, giggling.

Could that be used to her advantage at any point? Did that mean he would be easier to seduce? Those _should have_ been the questions she considered, but they weren't. Instead, Sakura wondered what else would make him blush, or what she could do to tease him mercilessly, taking an unsettling fascination in his discomfort and shyness. Was that her inner Tsunade making itself known? Had she spent too much time with the older woman? Oh Gods, was she a sadist like her shishou?

When they caught sight of the restaurant where they would be having their meeting in, Sakura was glad to find that it wasn't half as extravagant as the first. It was a quaint place and although it boasted luxury, it wasn't to the extent that she felt out of place or uncomfortable, like she would have in the previous place if she hadn't been so goddamn angry.

She caught Itachi's arm when he moved to open the door, smiling teasingly. "You might want to calm your blush a little," she warned. "They'll think we've been up to something."

The fact that he hesitated to enter had her giggling again. Who would have thought that Uchiha Itachi was so easy to tease?

She entered first, leaving Itachi to trail behind her, but upon seeing her mother's hopeful glee, she felt all traces of humour disappearing. Like it was sapped out of her.

Itachi must have felt similar to herself, for he returned to the stoic, cold man from the first meeting.

They sat on different sides of the table, directly opposite from one another and it startled Sakura how it felt as though she'd gone back in time, back to their first meeting. Like they hadn't had their first date or private meet up away from their parents, or like she hadn't felt comfortable enough to tease him literal moments before.

"Good of you both to finally join us."

"Forgive us," responded Itachi blandly, meeting his father's eye. "We are leaving for a mission shortly after this meeting."

"I see," he accepted. "How long will you be gone?"

"A minimum of a week."

They didn't talk like father and son, Sakura quickly came to realise, watching the interaction closely. It was more like leader and follower – only, not, because it was clear Itachi did not follow his father, despite the man being his patriarch. But her point was that it wasn't like how she would talk to her own parents. No, it felt too much like reporting to a superior.

"Good luck," her father told them both.

Why was he sat like Fugaku? Scratch that. Why was he _behaving_ like Fugaku? Sat there at the other end of the table, with his arms folded over his chest and chin raised fractionally, like he was looking down his nose at them all. Maybe it was her general bad mood with him, but she couldn't help but think he was being utterly ridiculous. It was laughable – a man his age copying someone.

"From what I have heard from Hokage-sama, alongside what I saw during Team Seven's training session yesterday, I doubt we will need it."

"Oh?" Mikoto surprised her by speaking up, her eyes curious as she regarded her.

"Aa," replied Itachi. "Going off what I have seen so far, I would feel comfortable with Sakura remaining an active kunoichi."

_Don't_, she mentally begged, green eyes wide and focused on him, praying her silent pleas reached him. _Please don't give me false hope._

"We will see what happens," muttered Fugaku.

She didn't fail to notice the exchange of unease between her parents, just as she didn't fail to show how badly it irked her.

What sort of parents didn't support their child? After witnessing for themselves how much time and effort she'd put into improving? Watching her return home, bruised and bloody, dragging herself through the door, but also seeing how proud of herself she was? She was strong now. Mentally and physically. She'd been through so much bullshit and had come out better because of it. Why couldn't they share her pride and happiness?

Even her job at the hospital was looked down on, mainly due to the unsociable hours. Did they care people were better off because of her? That she _literally_ saved lives and improved people's quality of life? No. They didn't. And for the life of her, Sakura couldn't understand _why_. It was so goddamn frustrating.

"We will begin now," Fugaku stated, nodding to a waitress who promptly served them their tea.

She was a tiny thing with luscious blonde hair, Sakura couldn't help but notice, eyes drawn to the way she lingered unnecessarily around not only Sasuke, but also Itachi. It brought forth a random surge of annoyance, for everyone – _everyone _– knew of their engagement, meaning the only reason she was doing it was to evoke some kind of reaction. That or she genuinely didn't care about faithfulness.

Keeping her eyes on the waitress, she waited, watching closely until the girl turned and freaking _flinched_ when she realised she was being watched, cheeks raging.

"Thank you," Sakura said, smiling in a way that unnerved her teammate, since he knew not to fall for the fake cheeriness found in her expression.

"N-No problem, Haruno-san."

When she looked back to the others, she raised an eyebrow first at Itachi, then his father, silently demanding to know what the hell they wanted.

No, she didn't love Itachi – in fact, she was just barely bordering on the "he's okay" side of things – but that didn't mean she would stand for women draping themselves all over him. It was a loveless, arranged marriage but it was a marriage, nonetheless. She still deserved respect. If they didn't agree with that, then she would raise hell and gladly put them in their places. Again.

"The wedding is barely two weeks away," Fugaku informed them and Sakura felt her stomach lurch at the realisation of how close it was. She'd foolishly assumed it would forever remain just under a month away and she couldn't help but think: Gods, where had her time gone? "Itachi, ensure your mission is completed within the week. This will provide you both ample time to recover."

"Yes, Father."

"Haruno, you will accompany your mother and Mikoto to have your kimono fitted."

Kimono? She barely held back the urge to groan. "May I interrupt?" When he nodded once, Sakura stated, "I don't want to wear a shiro-muku."

"Our clan has a shiro-muku that has been passed down through the generations," argued Fugaku calmly. He didn't seem irked in the slightest, merely stated his points like no matter how much she contested, he would win their spat. "It is tradition for the future matriarch of the clan to wear it. Itachi will also be wearing the montsuki that has been passed down from previous patriarchs."

Refraining from outwardly scowling at him, or from puffing out her cheeks like she was wont to do when aggravated, Sakura took an unnoticeably deep breath and smiled. "I understand that it's tradition, but like I've previously told you, I'm not from a clan. I'm not traditional in the slightest."

Languidly, his gaze met hers. "You have no choice. We will not be breaking this tradition."

"No choice?" she repeated and reached for her cup of tea, calmly taking a sip. "Oh. I was under the assumption that this was _my_ wedding. Arranged or not, I deserve to have a say in the matter." Placing down the cup, she raised an eyebrow at him. "Right?" When nothing more was said, she continued to nurse her hot cup, refusing to break eye contact. "Going off the fact everyone in the village has been invited, it's hardly going to be a private affair, is it? I thought a traditional wedding was supposed to be private?"

She had him there. He had to know that. But if she did, then he didn't show it and instead muttered in response, "This is not up for negotiation, Haruno."

"Find yourself another bride, then."

Her words were met by the insane feeling of the temperature dropping around them, the whole restaurant so quiet that she could faintly pick up on a dripping tap (yes, it was empty, but it still wasn't supposed to be _that_ silent).

Smiling, Sakura added, "Itachi asked that I not fight him every step of the way and I agreed, but he said nothing about fighting you."

"Sakura-" her mother gasped.

"Don't be so disrespectful," her father scolded, his glare intense. "This is an Uchiha tradition-"

"And we're moving into a modern era that's hard to keep up with as it is," she told them all firmly, dismissing Kizashi's glare with a roll of her eyes. "Why not move with the times?" suggested Sakura and she settled her gaze on Itachi, raising a challenging eyebrow. "Do you really want to be a leader who holds his clan back?"

He would show her now whether he was truly capable of fighting the patriarchy, as he'd previously informed her he was. If he sided with her and broke the godawful tradition of further stripping away a person's freedom by not only sentencing them to a loveless, arranged marriage, but also by taking away their freedom of choice and (in a sense) independence, then in her eyes, he earned a decent chunk of her respect. If not, then… Well, it was pretty obvious, wasn't it? She would be marrying a man who was all bark and no bite. She would be marrying a coward. How pitiful was that?

She didn't fail to notice the way Sasuke's entire focus was on his brother, the side eyed glance seeming calm, perhaps a little curious, although she knew it to be different due to the tension in his jaw and his grip on his cup.

Humming, Itachi kept his eyes on hers, saying after careful consideration, "I intend to make many changes as patriarch." Gods, she wanted to look at Fugaku's expression to see how he was taking the news, but she didn't. She continued to hold Itachi's gaze. "I believe this tradition should be one of them."

"Do you understand how many Uchiha you will anger, Itachi?" questioned his father.

"Are they really worth my time if they are so easily provoked?"

"Itachi-" Mikoto tried.

"It is an outfit, Mother," he told her simply.

No, it was so much more than that, they both silently agreed. By being forced to wear a specific outfit, it was signifying their freedom being taken away from them. Tradition or not, it was symbolism. They were chained. Restricted. Like living dolls. They were unable to make choices for themselves like puppets on strings. No matter what their status, no matter what titles they were given, they were never in control. They were the faces of the clan but not the true leaders.

Maybe…

Maybe it was too ambitious of her, but would she be capable of talking Itachi into the idea of taking the role of patriarch early? Could she convince him into abolishing the ridiculous need to consult with the elders when it came to every choice he made?

If she could do that, if she convinced Itachi to take sole charge of the clan, to be totally independent in leading them, then perhaps she could also prevent the coup d'état.

"You…" Fugaku muttered.

She smiled cheerfully at Itachi, ignoring her teammate's sigh. "Then it's settled," Sakura declared. "No traditional kimonos."

"No traditional kimonos," agreed Itachi, much to the displeasure of his parents.

* * *

**A/N - Thank you so much to everyone who has supported me so far. The response for this story has been amazing.**

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**I try to make regular updates on there, as I do here, but at the minute I'm working a minimum of 72 hours a week and I'm in a pretty bad place mentally due to the 12 hour night shifts. Fortunately for me, I have a very patient and understanding partner who does all he can to support me and my writing. Fingers crossed I can lower my hours after New Years, depending on finances because mentally, I can't keep up with it and I feel like I'm missing out on so much with my son.**

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	9. Meet Me In The Middle

**Chapter 7 – Meet Me In The Middle**

"Be safe," they heard her mother yelling behind them, hands cupping her mouth.

"Is your mother usually like that?" asked Itachi.

Sakura groaned and shook her head, thankful when the woman's voice was carried away by the winds before it reached them again. Honestly, she was being a nuisance, her sudden change of heart wasn't fooling anyone and it was driving her insane.

"No. She's trying to pretend to be supportive."

She felt his eyes on her and in response, Sakura glanced up. "I was unsure about their involvement in your life as a kunoichi," he murmured somewhat thoughtfully and looked ahead at the long winding, dusty road. "I suspected they didn't agree with it in our first meeting. Just now confirmed it."

Oh? So he'd noticed their distaste at her potentially remaining an active kunoichi? Had anyone else? Sasuke, perhaps. He'd always been much more aware than he let on, but they'd never actually discussed her parents and their disliking of their profession. Or that they made it a point to avoid inviting any of her friends who happened to be shinobi to any events they hosted.

"I feel like remaining an active kunoichi would be the biggest fuck you I can give them."

If he was surprised by her sudden cursing, Itachi didn't show it. In fact, he agreed with her, nodding. "As is our refusal to wear the traditional garments for the wedding."

Sakura couldn't help but smirk at that, her gaze turning towards the cloudless blue sky. She hoped the weather would continue to treat them kindly, because while she was okay with walking in the rain, she'd rather not risk making herself sick. There was also the added bonus of enjoying the wildlife throughout the journey. They had a tendency to run and hide when the weather soured.

They were travelling light, each carrying a single rucksack filled with the details of their mission, medical supplies, ration bars and a scroll each filled with spare clothing for their disguises.

"Hokage-sama stated that this is not your first seduction mission."

Was he curious about how much she'd done? It was only fair, in a way, Sakura supposed. They were getting married and would soon have to produce heirs for the clan. If anything, she would have been worried if he _wasn't_ curious, as that meant he didn't take sexual health all that seriously – a surprisingly, sickeningly common occurrence amongst shinobi, might she add. Hell, she'd already treated one individual _seven freaking times_ for _multiple_ sexually transmitted diseases in just three months.

"It's not," she admitted and gauged his reaction, wondering what was going through his mind. "I've done stuff, but not sex."

He nodded, eyes remaining fixed on the dip in the road a few hundred metres ahead of them. If they focused hard enough, they could even see the effects of the high temperature as the air seemed to waver. "I have partaken in seduction missions, too."

"Have you ever had sex?"

Much to her amusement, he blushed. "No."

A rarity for shinobi of his age, Sakura couldn't help but marvel. "By your own choice or through clan tradition?"

"A mixture of the two," he confessed and part of her smiled when he relaxed into the conversation somewhat, even though his eyes continued to remain ahead of them, the blush only slightly fading. "It is expected of those who are to enter arranged marriages to remain pure. Anything less is considered an insult to your betrothed." She nodded, showing that she was listening and he continued, saying, "However, while I was always finding ways to go against the overbearing traditions of my clan, I found I was not entirely comfortable with sleeping around to spite them."

Sakura smiled at that. "Haven't you ever been tempted?"

"Of course."

"But?"

"It never felt right."

It would probably be much harder to seduce him then and Sakura felt herself holding back a shudder as she recalled her very first vision of them being intimate, of his cold eyes boring down on her as he screwed her like it was a chore.

She bit her lip unsurely, looking to her left to take in the greenery surrounding them, but she found she couldn't enjoy it as much as she usually did. She barely even noticed the flowers that usually diverted her attention from conversations.

"I wonder if it will ever feel right for us?" she wondered aloud, keeping her eyes away from his. "Or will we always feel like it's some kind of chore?"

"As though it's for the sole purpose of giving them an heir," he agreed in the same lowered voice. When she looked up at Itachi, she found he was frowning faintly. "I believe – or hope – that we will grow to care for one another, even if it is not a romantic love."

He really wasn't as bad as she'd originally believed him to be. So far, Itachi had done nothing but try and ease her into what was expected of them, since it was a fate he'd always been aware of and prepared for. He'd gone against his clan twice trying to help her in some way.

"We should at least be friends, if nothing else," she agreed, nodding. Returning her gaze to him, she smiled warmly, saying, "And give them all hell in the meantime."

And, much to her astonishment, he smiled down at her, agreeing.

* * *

"Have you ever done this before?"

Sakura rolled her eyes at his question and leaned closer to the mirror, puckering her lips as she applied the lipstick. It was a rosy shade of red, its colour vibrant against her pale skin and she once more commended herself on a perfect choice.

"Have you ever come across a kunoichi who hasn't?" she questioned sardonically.

She must have made her point, because he didn't ask any further questions and resumed watching her do her makeup in silence. His gaze seemed semi-curious as she brought the mascara wand closer to her eye and inwardly, Sakura smirked, wondering if he was cringing on the inside as she brushed the spoolie through her eyelashes. There was a faint twitch of his eyebrows when she used eyeliner and she classed that as a win – what she'd won, Sakura was unsure. But it was something.

"How do you feel?"

Was he trying to keep the conversation going? Did he _want_ to talk to her? Sakura wondered what that meant and whether it was a step forward, or if it was literally nothing and just her making a big deal out of nothing.

"Kind of nervous," she admitted with ease and looked to him via their reflections, offering a smile. "But I'm going in all guns blazing either way."

"You don't want to give up being a kunoichi."

"No," Sakura said like it was obvious, because it _was_. "I've worked so hard to stand where I am right now and I'm proud of my accomplishments. To give it all up now is nothing short of a waste."

He nodded thoughtfully, eyes taking in the sight of her made up features. "Even if it involves situations like these?"

"Of course," she sighed and dropped the eyeliner to the counter, reaching for the rollers she'd placed in her hair (that she'd washed) as soon as they arrived. "I took a vow when I become a genin – one I don't take lightly."

"To do whatever is necessary to protect Konoha."

She nodded. "And that includes the entire nation, too."

Leaning back against the wall, Itachi folded his arms, his relaxed stance taking her by surprise although she refused to show it. To keep herself from staring, she fluffed her hair once it was free of all rollers, the large, loose curls making her grin with accomplishment.

"I will only intervene if you request it of me," he murmured to her and she once more looked to his reflection, narrowing her eyes fractionally, wondering if it was some kind of test. "Or if I believe you are at risk of dying."

"Remember that I have my seal," she ordered seriously. "Meaning I can't die in battle."

"Correct me if I'm wrong," Itachi began and she felt his gaze zeroing in on her forehead. In response, she felt a surge of childish self-consciousness, though resisted the urge to brush her bangs forward. "But one of the major side effects of the jutsu you're referencing involves the shortening of your lifespan."

"…Correct," relented Sakura.

"Perhaps we should avoid unnecessary usage, then."

She raised a brow and snorted. "Are you concerned about me, Itachi?"

"You are to be my wife," he stated simply. "What sort of husband doesn't care for his wife?"

He had her there, she supposed with a minute smile. "Fine. Jump in and play the hero, but don't think it'll give you any brownie points."

"Brownie points?"

Oh, Gods. How sheltered was he? That saying was _old_ and she'd assumed everyone knew it. Even Jiraiya and Kakashi used it.

"You have a lot to learn, Uchiha Itachi," Sakura told him with a teasing lilt to her voice. "And I intend of teaching you everything."

"Such as?"

Smirking, she slipped off the counter and turned to face him, slipping her robe from her shoulder and allowing it to fall to the ground so that he could see the lacy set she'd chosen for the strip club she had to work in, purposely running a hand through her loose curls to tousle them.

"What do you think?"

His blush damned him and Sakura couldn't help but laugh freely.

* * *

They were already two days into the mission, meaning they had five left (one of which was being used to travel home, so really, they had four days) to successfully complete it.

So far, they had yet to come across their target, but she wasn't letting it get to her – it was unusual to immediately find them and establish a connection and for that to happen, it would make her incredibly suspicious and on edge. However, it _did_ mean that she wouldn't really be able to observe the woman for a while to get a feel on her. No, instead, she would be jumping straight into it with little to no knowledge.

_But_, to be a shinobi meant to endure. So, she was enduring.

Even if what she was currently doing _was_ painfully cliché.

Hands raised above her head, Sakura kept her eyes forward and lidded, hips gently swaying as she arched her back against the pole.

It was just her luck that the promiscuous, ever horny target chose a town that was renowned for its strip clubs and casinos to make camp. Originally, it'd started off as a small town, but in the past year alone, it's popularity had skyrocketed for unknown reasons and so they created more establishments to welcome the new attention.

Rumour had it, the leader of the town had made a deal with the devil and while Sakura wasn't debunking said rumour, she leaned more on the side of it being a group of rogue-nin rather than the devil. Potentially even their target.

There were many strip clubs to choose from, but they'd settled for the most popular to try and find the target. Had it been an ordinary mission, she had no doubts Itachi would have used his sharingan to give her an advantage, to have her immediately take the place of the main star in the club. However, he wanted to see her skills, so Sakura spent well over an hour preparing herself each night, ensuring she would stand out (though not give away her identity) and capture the attention herself.

Keeping her natural hair colour, Sakura styled it endlessly, curling the ends and making it lusciously thicker, having it frame her face, which took her longer than she cared to admit to make up. Normally, her eyelashes were fairly long and dark, but they weren't half as thick as she'd made them to be, nor was her skin ever so flawlessly smooth.

Using her hold on the pole and keeping her feet together, Sakura eased herself down into a crouch, her legs spreading open teasingly. Then, once she saw she had gained the attention of a decent sized crowd, she gently, slowly bounced in time to the music and tilted her head back, lips parting in a silent moan (the motion immediately earning her extra money as the men imagined themselves beneath her).

Itachi was situated at the bar with his back facing it and drink in hand, gaze languidly sweeping the joint before returning to her. Unlike herself, he was notorious throughout the five nations, so he was disguised with the use of a henge. He chose to look forgettable, with mousy brown hair, droopy eyes and plain clothing. But she supposed that was the whole point, wasn't it? Blending into the background, not attracting any attention to himself.

Although she wasn't given the main stage, Sakura found she'd garnered enough attention to compete with the other woman. Impishly glancing her way, she leaned forward, granting the crowd with a bountiful view of her cleavage as she sensually crawled towards them. One man in particular whistled as her upper half flattened to the ground, ass remaining high in the air as she stretched out languorously, meeting his gaze lazily and biting her lower lip.

She extended her arms again, smirking when money was slapped down on the stage before her. Sitting on her haunches with a diva-like hair flip, she parted her legs again, stretching into a perfect split before leaning forward, accepting more of his money with her teeth.

Sakura had known and accepted that she would have to seduce the target. What she hadn't wanted was to essentially become a stripper trying to lure said target out of hiding. It was way overdone, she personally believed and the only female comrade she'd come across who _hadn't_ had to pose as a stripper yet was Hinata – and that would only due to her standing in the village and her extreme anxiety.

Nobody commented on the fact she kept her lacy lingerie on while the other women were butt naked, although she was pleasantly surprised to find that she had the biggest crowd. Would she fully strip down? Sakura doubted it, unless the mission truly called for it and even then, she would try any other route first.

She was comfortable with her body and knew she was desirable, but that didn't necessarily mean she enjoyed the wolves' hungry gazes before her, lapping up her dance as she languidly twirled around the pole, greeting it like an old friend. It felt like they were seeing a part of her they didn't deserve – the same went for the man in the back as she, not for the first time, met his gaze.

Gentle fingertips grazed the cold metal and she offered a single, sultry glance over her shoulder before bending over, using the pole as an anchor to bring her lower half up, feet crossing behind the pole, thighs clenching the metal between them, hands falling above her head in an innocent 'ta-da' motion that had them throwing more money her way.

They'd been given a vague description of the woman they were supposed to assassinate, but as of yet, Sakura had yet to spot anyone that even remotely matched said description.

Using her core, she had the transition of lifting herself by her legs appearing effortless, using a single hand to steady herself near the top of the pole as she glanced over the club conspicuously. It wasn't seedy, but it wasn't luxurious either and she'd made sure to sanitise the pole before the club opened, watching with inward cringes how the other dancers often rubbed themselves on the metal. Whether it was purpose or accidental, whether they were trained dancers or not meant little. It was still disgusting to her.

The lighting wasn't the greatest for looking out beyond their own crowds, but somehow, she continuously found herself easily meeting Itachi's calm gaze, his position on the stool seemingly comfortable.

Directly, she called out punters and demanded they join them in her show and, much to the gratefulness of her ego, they did, answering to her call like she was a siren and they had no choice but to go along with her wishes.

During seduction training, everyone had to attend a pole dancing class due to the likelihood of being sent on a mission that would require it. Surprisingly, the industry had quite a few issues that often required shinobi intervention, or their targets often had them posing as dancers. So, Sakura was confident in her skills on the pole, effortlessly twisting her body to accommodate the new move, one hand gripping just beneath her hips, the other remaining firm in its original place.

Then, she leaned back, legs spreading into a split, like she was greeting the latest members of her crowd gratefully.

Noticing out of the corner of her eye that Itachi's attention was captured, Sakura followed his line of sight, biting her lower lip when she spotted someone who matched the description of their target perfectly.

Straightening her splits properly, Sakura shifted her grip, having her hands holding the same spot on the pole as she leaned back until she was upside down again, waiting until she had the attention of the target who was doing a sweep of the dancers before beckoning her closer, gaze once more lidded.

_The mission was really starting now._

Shoving down her nerves, once the woman was approaching her with an air of a superiority, chin raised haughtily, Sakura tucked her knees to her chest before stretching them out along the length of the pole. She used the strength of her thighs to hold her up, hands releasing the pole altogether to graze the ground, flattening.

Then, she eased herself down with a controlled flip, hair falling around her face in a way Sakura _hoped_ was seductive.

It was her first time seducing a woman and she knew, just by the way the target approached her, demanding that the crowd split to let her through, that it would be a completely different experience to anything she'd done prior.

She stepped to the edge of the stage, hands stroking her thighs as she crouched with her feet together once more, spreading her legs.

The target was beautiful, there was no denying that, but Sakura could sense a faint thrum of chakra coming from her, alerting her to the possibility of a henge being in place. Still, if she didn't take that into account, then she far surpassed the beauty of any woman she'd come across.

Unlike what she'd been expecting of a highly dangerous woman who was supposedly highly invested in her businesses, the woman before her appeared young and untroubled. Her chestnut hair wasn't pinned like many other businesswomen she saw, but instead left to fall loose around her shoulders, her bangs just as wavy and only aiding in making her seem younger.

If Sakura was to hazard a guess, she would say that the target looked to be in her mid-twenties, perhaps even younger.

Gods, the appearance really didn't match up with the personality, did it? After hearing she was promiscuous and constantly on the search for another lover, Sakura had assumed she'd look more like Ino (in a non-offensive way to her best friend and rival). But she didn't.

She lowered herself to her knees, stroking up her thighs and to her torso, head falling back and allowing her hair to tumble down her spine.

Smirking, the woman reached into her pocket before taking her own money between her lips, hands planting onto the stage and aiding in lifting herself up so that they would be closer.

Copying said smirk, Sakura lowered herself and rather than accept the money with her own mouth like she'd pictured doing so, she kept her chest in front of the woman, raising a daring eyebrow to her.

The interest that sparked in her blue eyes had Sakura inwardly rejoicing, ignoring the pang of discomfort when she nestled the money between the cleavage, lips grazing the exposed skin (had she not had the information about the woman being hornier than the average person, then she would not have used such a blatant approach).

Her finger trailed up the woman's neck, tipping her chin back until their mouths were mere inches apart.

"Want a private dance?" asked Sakura in a purr, eyes drinking in the sight of her arousal already written all over her features.

The only other woman Sakura had ever met (who was ruled by their body's wants) was Mitarashi Anko – one of her many idols. She gladly welcomed her wants and needs with open arms, shutting down anyone who talked badly about her doing such a thing. Why couldn't she? She'd demand. Men were allowed to – and they got away with it, too. So why was it different for her?

Smirking when the woman immediately responded in her favour, Sakura released her chin and shifted forward, sliding off the stage in a way that kept their bodies flush. The others who had gathered around her stage groaned at the movement, knowing they'd lost her for at least an hour, but Sakura paid them no mind. They no longer mattered to her. She had her target.

"Let's go," she ordered, voice lowering to a sultry hush.

On the way to the private rooms, Sakura met Itachi's eye, discreetly winking his way and his response of turning his head to the side had her smirking again. Gods, he was so easily teased. Going off what she'd heard about him, she wouldn't have thought such a feat was possible, let alone that she'd be able to do it.

"Here," the woman demanded suddenly, coming to a stop beside one of the rooms. It had Sakura looking over her shoulder daringly, raising an inquisitive eyebrow. "This is mine."

Hers?

Interest piqued and knowing Itachi was now hidden in the shadows to back her up should it be an ambush, Sakura followed after the brunette into the room, taking note of the plush furnishings and luxurious floor to ceiling mirrors covering the entirety of the right wall. In the centre of the room sat a single chair, covered only by a single cushion with… were they grips? She nonchalantly reached for it, fingertips grazing the harsh cover.

"They create friction," the woman murmured, locking the door.

Next, Sakura's gaze was drawn to the bindings on the legs of the chair and she looked to her questioningly.

Instead of being embarrassed to admit such a thing, she stood tall, saying, "Not many dare to go against me."

So she enjoyed being dominated. Well, that worked well in her favour, Sakura supposed, and she also straightened, looking down her nose at the woman. "We'll see about that when I force you to go against the rules of this club," she murmured softly. "Why are you still dressed?"

She watched through a lidded gaze as she stripped down without pause, tossing her clothes carelessly to the mirrored dresser.

Whether it was her real body or not, it was still something to marvel at. The pale skin was free of any defects and looked smooth to the touch, begging of her to run her fingers across it to see if it truly was. And her breasts, while small, were perfectly perky and rounded, nipples already hardening under her scrutiny. She was kind of like her in the curves department, Sakura believed as she ran her gaze down the length of her body, appreciating the gentle flaring of her hips and the shapely thighs.

Sakura looked her in the eye once more and raised an eyebrow. "Fold them."

"You-"

"Now."

It wasn't often she got to act as a dominant – actually, she'd never done it before, but she refused to let it show. Instead, she summoned forth a cold exterior and continued to look down on her. Domination more often than not involved the _willing_ humiliation of the submissive, didn't it? Oh, and punishments.

"Sit."

Only once the clothes were neatly folded did she do so, legs automatically parting so that her feet were in place for the bindings, giving Sakura an eyeful of the neatly trimmed, brown patch of hair between her legs that framed her most intimate area.

"What's your name?"

"Akina."

Spring flower, huh? "Not anymore," Sakura informed her and leaned forward, trailing her touch down her throat, slowing when she reached her breasts, meeting her eye. "You don't deserve a name."

Much to her pleasure, Akina's breath caught, gaze zeroing in on her lips.

"Right now, you're nothing more than my plaything," she said and straightened, smirking. "I don't care if you're an important figure or have people who are scared of you. If I call, you will drop everything and come to me without hesitation. You will come to this room, strip for me and wait in this chair. You will do this until I inevitably grow bored of you and toss you aside like the worthless toy you are. Do you understand?"

It was quite the rush, Sakura thought to herself, especially when her heel slammed to the exposed chair between Akina's legs at her lack of response, expertly missing the woman's body.

"Do you understand?"

"Yes."

"Yes, what?" she demanded.

"Yes, milady."

Sakura smirked, impressed. "Good. Now, what are your safe words?"

Usually, from what she'd heard of a _that_ kind of relationship (or setup, whatever it was called), those involved had to discuss what they were willing to do or have done to them. But Sakura got the feeling that Akina wanted to relinquish all control to her and that thought was proven by the reactions of her body.

In her seat, she squirmed, thighs pressing together on her ankle and Sakura raised an eyebrow.

"Spread your legs."

Willingly, she did so, biting her bottom lip.

"Safe words."

"I don't need any-"

"Until I know you can handle me," Sakura whispered tauntingly and lowered her lips to Akina's ear, teeth grazing the lobe. "You need safe words."

Her strength, at the best of times, was too much and she needed Akina to have appropriate safe words to let her know it was unbearable – and not in a good way. Yes, by the end of the four days they had left she'd be dead, but Sakura needed to make sure she wasn't scared away in the meantime.

"Apples."

Amused, she pulled back, though only after nipping her and causing her to flinch. "Apples?"

"Your eyes…"

How romantic. "That can be your first safe word – for when you're close to your limit."

"Sakura."

Keeping her expression neutral, she asked, "Why?"

"Your hair. It looks like the flower."

Great. So her name was the safe word. "How original, Toy," she sneered mockingly. "Choose something else."

Akina hummed thoughtfully. "Sparks."

There was probably another romantic explanation behind the choice, but Sakura chose not to question it. "Fine. Apples and sparks." Straightening, she reached up for the straps of her green bra, playing with them as she told Akina, "Tie yourself up and I'll take this off as a reward."

"T-Tie myself…?"

"I'm not dirtying my hands for someone like _you_."

It was easy forgetting about her spectator as Sakura watched Akina reach down and fasten the bindings, occasionally looking up to her for praise or perhaps some form of encouragement in what she was doing. She offered none. She refused to move until she found the bindings unacceptable.

"How pathetic," she muttered and knelt, tugging on the bindings to undo them with ease before her fingers deftly moved, tying them once more. "_This_ is how you tie a knot. Remember that for next time."

"Yes, milady."

She looked down at the legs bound while standing, critically assessing them and smiling appreciatively. They weren't so tight that they would cause too much pain but moving too much _would_ hurt.

"I won't tie your hands up," she murmured in a low purr, bringing their faces closer together.

Tantalisingly, Sakura tipped her chin up again, exposing the milky skin of her neck, watching how Akina swallowed, her instincts no doubt telling her she was in danger. Any shinobi worth their salt wouldn't have allowed themselves to be put in such a precarious situation and according to Tsunade, she was looking at one of the most dangerous rogue-nin out there. That meant there was a possibility of someone watching over her, similar to how Itachi was watching her.

"And you won't touch me unless ordered to do so," whispered Sakura huskily and allowed her fingers to travel further, skimming along her bare breasts. "If you touch me," her words were punctuated by Akina gasping in pain and pleasure, body jolting as her nipple was pinched, "you will be punished. Understand?"

She twisted it when there was no answer.

"Understand, Toy?"

"Y-Yes, milady," she gasped, hips shifting.

Smirking, she pinned them, forcing her to be still. "Oh, no you don't," she sneered, their faces millimetres apart and she teased the woman with her lips, pulling them back every time she tried to pucker up. "You're not pleasuring yourself on this chair of yours."

She couldn't question herself, not in front of the target, but Gods, was she doing it right? Was she taking to the role of a dominant well? Shit, she hadn't planned for getting stuck in such a risky situation – at most, she'd assumed she'd be pleasuring the woman until the perfect moment to strike and take her out (obviously after finding out the information needed to protect the Daimyō efficiently). What she was doing was completely out of her comfort zone.

"What should I do with you first, huh?" she questioned softly, luring her into a false sense of security by skimming a gentle hand along her jaw, taking Akina's breath away when she suddenly grabbed her hair and yanked her head back, straddling her. "Should I dive straight into this? Should I draw it out?" She lowered herself closer, teeth grazing her soft, soft skin and when she next spoke, her voice was nothing but a whisper, "Or should I show you first just how nice I can be, so you know what you're working for?"

"Please, milady."

Sakura hummed thoughtfully and nipped at her jaw, smirking at the responding flinch. "Sensitive?"

"Yes, milady."

How could a shinobi of her calibre willingly hand over so much control? Even if someone _was_ watching over her to ensure nothing bad happened, Akina's instincts _should have been_ screaming at her due to the amount of danger she was in. Relaxing should have been an impossibility. Yet there she was, stripped completely bare, legs spread wide, chest rising and falling with her shallow breaths of anticipation.

Maybe that was where she got off?

Much to the woman's displeasure, Sakura stood and walked away, going to the mirrored drawers at the side of the room. As expected of a woman who was into BDSM, they were fully stocked and a closer inspection informed her that yes, they were regularly cleaned. Pretending like she wasn't unsure on how to use the toys laid out before her, Sakura went for the simple looking ones, raising them with a critical gaze.

"I think I'll lead up to the big stuff and leave you a quivering mess, begging for release," she murmured, giving Akina a side-eyed glance. "You look far too eager for my liking – and so far, you've done nothing to earn an orgasm."

Going back to the drawer, Sakura looked over the clamps that set her teeth on edge, just imagining using them on herself making her inwardly cringe. She was sure others found them pleasurable, but her body was far too sensitive to handle it. Or maybe that was the whole point?

Red caught her eye and she lifted the ropey flogger, raising a brow. It wasn't hard to grasp what she was supposed to do with it and Sakura placed it atop the dresser, not missing the quickening of Akina's heartbeat, her keen senses she'd honed since becoming a medic being used to her advantage.

There was so much to choose from, Sakura found as she opened another drawer, immediately taking out a blindfold. If getting off on relinquishing all control was Akina's thing, then the blindfold would definitely be a kink of hers.

"I think we'll put this on now," muttered Sakura and she approached Akina again, tipping her head back. "You don't deserve to know what I'm planning on doing to you."

She was silent while Sakura tied the blindfold, her fingers circling her wrists and pinning them to her thighs. There were no arms on the chair, allowing her to expertly straddle her when required.

"Move those arms and I will punish you."

She was saying that too much, wasn't she? Saying she was going to punish her? Shit, what else was she supposed to say, though?

Remaining calm, for Akina would no doubt pick up on her nervousness if she allowed it to show outwardly, Sakura turned on her heel and grabbed the flogger, putting it in the waistband of her thong, in addition to a realistic looking dildo (she quickly discovered that it also had an on switch, meaning it more than likely vibrated) and cold, metal balls that came with a controller. The rest, Sakura decided, were unnecessary until she got the gist of things. Only then would she venture deeper into the darkness that was BDSM.

She faced Akina once more with a contemplative expression, wondering what she should use or do first. In her hand, she rolled the balls, though stopped when she realised she would be warming them up. The coldness of them would be startling, especially if she was to use them as intended.

It was decided. Sakura reached into the drawer a final time, grabbing a lubricant and ensuring the toy was covered. Then, masking her presence, she approached Akina, causing her to start when she whispered in her ear from behind, "Are you ready?"

"Yes."

Movements fast, Sakura grabbed the flogger from her hip and the woman was startled by it suddenly cracking down on her, a short cry passing her lips. "Yes, what?"

"Y-Yes, milady."

"Remember that," she ordered coldly.

"Yes, milady."

She straddled her once more, returning the flogger to her hip and yanking on her hair, lips trailing down Akina's cheek. "Now, let's try that again, shall we?" she murmured, lifting herself ever so slightly, hand dragging her hips to the edge of the chair, ignoring the discomfort that was caused by the bindings and her hiss of pleasure from the grips beneath her. "Are you ready?"

"Yes, milady," breathed Akina, biting her lower lip.

Without warning (and inwardly apologising at the lack of consent, despite it being Akina's kink), Sakura pushed the balls against her opening, surprised to find that the woman was already well lubricated, accepting them easily.

"What's this?" she questioned in a condescending manner. "You're already wet for me? I barely even touched you." When Akina tried rubbing herself on the chair, Sakura rested more of her weight on the woman, her arm pinned between their bodies, fingers grazing her heat. "What a desperate little toy."

She whimpered.

Knocking on the door had her glaring over her shoulder, especially when the woman beneath her grew tense.

"_Akina-sama, there's been an incident-"_

"Shit," she muttered under her breath and struggled against the bindings. Lowering her voice considerably, she whispered, "Milady, I need to go-"

"Without my permission?"

Her mouth parted, indecision rippling over her features.

Sakura smirked and treated Akina with her teeth coming down on her lip, tugging on it.

Her gasp of pleasure had the smirk widening.

"Do not remove those balls," warned Sakura coldly and as she said the words, she pressed the button on the controller, Akina's moan muffled when she pressed her face into her shoulder. "If you know what's good for you, you'll be back here tonight at midnight."

"_Oh…_" she panted, squirming beneath her. "M-Milady."

She pressed the highest setting, the responding moan an octave higher than before. Out of the corner of her eye, via their reflections, she saw the woman's toes curling. "Understand?"

"Y-Yes, milady."

"Do you remember how I want you to come to me?"

"Naked," she whispered and continued squirming, the faint sound of the vibrator accompanying her sudden groan. "Tied to the chair."

"And wet," Sakura demanded, nipping at the skin on her jaw, moistening it with her breath. "I want you ready for me in every way possible."

Akina turned her head towards hers, nose brushing along her skin, lips seeking hers.

Sakura stood abruptly, sneering at her whimper, "You need to earn the right to kiss me."

In a way, she supposed she preferred acting as a dominant, even if she wasn't doing it by the book. That way, she was in total control. If she didn't want to be kissed, she wouldn't be kissed. If she didn't want the target to touch her, then they wouldn't. They had no choice but to obey her, unless they wanted to be punished.

"_A-Akina-sama?"_

Reaching out, she yanked the blindfold off her head, quickly followed by the untying of the bindings and the lowering of the settings on the balls.

When Akina was greeted with sight once more, she blinked a few times, her stomach jumping rhythmically as she squirmed once more.

"Why are you still here?" demanded Sakura coldly, already turning her back on her. "Get out of my sight."

Within seconds, she was gone, but it wasn't until Sakura felt Akina leave the establishment entirely that she leaned back against the mirrored drawers, releasing an uneasy sigh.

"That was…"

His voice didn't startle her. She knew he'd been watching. "I've never done anything like that before," admitted Sakura quietly, glancing at the toys she'd been using or planning to use. Remembering she had one of her hip, she tugged it from her thong, tossing it to the dresser. "I don't even know what half of these things are."

"You did well and made it believable," Itachi surprisingly praised her, standing with his back to the door. "Although I am surprised that a kunoichi of her calibre would allow herself to be so defenceless. This area of sex requires great trust."

Well, at least there was that, Sakura thought and sighed again, head tipping back. She was also glad to find that she wasn't the only one suspicious by her willingness to relinquish all control. They would have to tread extra carefully, as she suspected there was a chance of them falling head first into an ambush.

"Would you like a robe?" he asked after a moment.

She smirked at that, meeting his gaze languidly. "Why? Does the female body make you uncomfortable, Itachi?"

"I am merely trying to ensure your own comfort."

That… was really sweet. She smiled and stood up straighter, purposely stretching her arms above her head, glancing his way to gauge his reaction. As expected of Uchiha Itachi, however, there was nothing to be seen and it solidified her original thought of plain old seduction being pointless. He was a prude, but not a pervert.

"Thank you, but I think we'll head back to the inn to work on some kind of plan."

Nodding, he turned towards the door, telling her, "I will meet you there."

The clone she produced immediately set herself to work of returning to the pole, intent on working the next few hours until Akina's return. Then, once she spotted the brunette entering the room, the clone would disappear, alerting Sakura that her presence at the strip club was needed once more. It gave her a bit of downtime.

As much as she didn't want to show that she was feeling such a way, she couldn't help but sigh with exhaustion when she entered their shared room at the inn. There were two separate beds, hers being closest to the window and Sakura threw herself down on it, eyes shutting with relief when a delicious smell wafted towards her.

"I took the liberty in ordering food," he informed her, bringing the bedside table dead centre between their beds, dishing up on it. "You should keep your strength up."

Well, who was she to say no to free food? Groaning, Sakura dragged herself up and shuffled over the bed, bringing the sheets over her lap as she parted her legs to make way for the small table. She'd only worn a long jacket to return to the inn, remaining in her costume and she'd yet to remove the former. As much as she enjoyed toying with Itachi, she didn't want to make him uncomfortable or feel like she was sexually harassing him.

"Thank you, Itachi."

"You're working hard," he said simply. "It is the least I can do."

"I can't believe I actually did that," she suddenly murmured, pausing in breaking her chopsticks. Reaching up, she touched her cheek, not surprised in the least to find she was burning up with a blush.

For a silent moment, Itachi watched her, using his pause to eat a mouthful of the food laid out between them. There wasn't any set dish for one of them, but rather several dishes for them to share, all being different meals. She wondered if–

Faintly, she smirked, amused when Itachi immediately cleaned a minor spill she made with the sauce from the bowl of noodles.

Definitely a perfectionist.

"Would it be easier if I'm not present?"

"Actually, about that," mused Sakura and she assessed him, raising a curious eyebrow. "Would you care to lend a hand? For the final meeting?"

Fortunately for her, he instantly picked up on what she meant by the final meeting and Sakura was relieved when he asked, "You wish for me to participate? What do you have in mind?"

"Well…"


	10. It Leaves Me A Mess

**Chapter 8 – It Leaves Me A Mess**

The weather was abysmal all of a sudden, she noticed upon glancing out of the window. Rain lashed down, the force of its descent causing it to bounce back off the ground that was now nothing more than a sludge, due to it being the main road to the red light industry. It was way overused after only a year and it made her skin crawl.

People were gross.

Sakura dropped the curtain back into its place just as thunder rumbled in the sky.

"Do you like storms?"

Itachi looked up from the scroll he was writing on, meeting her gaze curiously. "At times. Do you?"

"At times," she repeated his words, smiling. She walked back to the beds and sat down on the edge of hers, now dressed comfortably in a robe until she had to strip down once more. "I like the symbolism behind them."

"Oh?"

It seemed she'd truly captured his attention, because Itachi placed his writing materials down, straightening.

"People usually associate thunderstorms with depression or general gloominess," she began thoughtfully, kicking her legs out a few times before she was inspecting her recently painted toenails. In the heels she'd acquired, it was necessary to have beautiful nails. "But I like to think of it as having a moment to be sad about something, letting the rain wash it all away and when the sun comes out, it's a new start. It's your chance to get back out there with a renewed vigour."

"Like after a refreshing shower."

She grinned. "Exactly."

"I like that symbolism," he murmured after a moment.

"What are you writing, anyway?" questioned Sakura and she leaned forward, stealing a peek. "Anything scandalous?"

Itachi smirked and rolled the scroll shut, no longer looking her way as he tidied his belongings away, storing them in their correct compartments in his bag. "I am writing notes."

Notes? Sakura's eyes widened a fraction and she flung herself upwards, standing over him. "I was only joking about making notes for future reference-"

Much to her embarrassment, he started laughing at her, the sound of his laughter surprising her. It sounded nothing like how she would have imagined it to sound – reserved and quiet, perhaps a single chuckle at most. No, it was a free sort of laughter and she marvelled at the light that filled his features.

_Was that the real Uchiha Itachi?_

Too soon, the laughter faded to a single chuckle and he said, "You are just as easy to tease, it seems."

"You want to go there?" she questioned with a smirk.

"Can you handle it?"

"Careful, they sound like fighting words to me," Sakura warned playfully, eyes narrowing a fraction.

He hummed with amusement and stood to his full height, the difference in their height causing her to tilt her head further back to maintain eye contact. Hands coming to her hips, she raised a daring eyebrow, a small smirk playing along her lips.

"I reiterate," murmured Itachi, copying her expression. "Can you handle it?"

Oh, someone was getting brave, Sakura couldn't help but notice and her smirk widened. Not just brave, but outspoken, too. Up until that point, she'd believed Itachi was a man who was reserved and stoic, only being more open with her on occasion – and after plenty of pushing.

Deciding to see how far she could push, Sakura lowered her voice considerably, telling him, "You'd be surprised what I can take."

As she'd been hoping, Itachi's smirk faltered and his cheeks grew the reddest she'd seen so far.

She grinned and made the victory sign. "Nice try."

Something told her she wouldn't keep the upper hand for long in their harmless teasing, but Sakura didn't have much time to consider the mental voice. Within an instant of her words, she received a surge of memories from her clone, telling her that she had been dispatched of – no, released herself in the safety of the bathroom upon noticing the target returning to the establishment earlier than planned.

"Well," Sakura said with false cheeriness, removing her robe and giving her change of costume a quick glance in the mirror. She'd changed it after showering, replacing it with a sparkly red number. While slipping into her long jacket, she pretended not to notice Itachi's still-red cheeks. "I guess I just got my cue to go and sexually torture someone for their masochistic gratification."

"Wait, Sakura."

She paused in reaching for the door handle, looking over her shoulder. "What is it?"

Why was he hesitating? Curiously, she turned to face him fully and finished buttoning up her jacket, head tilting to the side. Whatever he was thinking about had to be of importance, she couldn't help but notice and it had her frowning ever so slightly.

"Itachi?"

"You will more than likely be physically intimate with the target," he began, then paused once more.

Impatience had her squirming with annoyance, but Sakura held her tongue and waited him out. It was pretty aggravating, though. She _did_ have somewhere she needed to be.

"If you wish, I could give you privacy-"

Back to seemingly being the complete opposite of the cold man the village always saw. Gods, she was the worst kind of spy, wasn't she? Or did the fact that he was already showing her such a different side of himself mean that she was doing well? Was she even getting to know him at all?

"I appreciate the concern," she told him with a small smile. "But it's unnecessary. How are you supposed to judge my skills if you're not watching?"

"I hardly think I need to-"

"Itachi," Sakura interjected softly, stunning him by placing a hand to his chest. While she shouldn't have suspected any different due to being who he was, she found herself pleasantly surprised by the firm muscle hidden beneath his shirt. "Relax. I trust you."

It was the right move apparently, because Itachi watched her with eyes a fraction wider than before.

She smiled cheerily, thanking her former sensei for all the times he'd buttered her up – she'd been dubious of it working on someone like Itachi, but fortunately for her, it had.

Patting his chest, she added cheekily, "Enjoy the show."

* * *

Whistles and cheers followed her as she made her way through the crowds, informing her that the majority of the punters were there to see her dance. Unfortunately for them, all she could offer was a cheeky wink and extra sway of her hips, even going as far as trailing her fingers down the arm of one particularly attractive man, the feeling of him slipping notes in her thong repulsing her.

The same women from earlier were still dancing on their poles, eyeing her change of clothing enviously – it only confirmed her silent suspicions of the hours in their line of work being gruelling. It was to be expected of a town that relied heavily on its red light district to survive.

Sensing Itachi's arrival, she sauntered over to the private rooms, only pausing to gather the mental strength for what she had to do for the sake of their mission. After all, like Itachi had said, she would no doubt have to be physically intimate with her. No matter how she felt on the matter, she needed to push it all aside and seem as though she was having the time of her life. She needed to look like she was into her.

Once she was as ready as she could be, Sakura entered without permission and instantly sunk into her character.

It was haughtily that she tipped her head back, taking in the sight of Akina's bindings and the shallow rise and fall of her chest. The ropes were tied hastily, though Sakura could hardly blame her considering the woman was trembling faintly, gnawing on her lower lip in an attempt to remain silent.

If she listened carefully, she could hear a faint vibrating.

She resisted the urge to smirk.

"Oh, sorry," Sakura murmured, clearly without meaning it. "I must've knocked the controls and turned the settings up."

"Y-You…"

Raising a daring eyebrow, she approached the dressers, removing the money she'd earned in the short time on the floor and stacking it up. Just to torment the man watching their show, she made sure the pile was untidy and stacked precariously, smirking to herself. The slightest of knocks to the dresser and the money would topple over.

"Please, M-Milady. I need…"

Wow, she really was a mess, wasn't she? Just how intense were those things?

Turning to face the brunette, Sakura's smirk disappeared and she leaned back against the dresser on her elbows, knowingly sticking her chest out. The way Akina's greedy gaze drunk in the sight of her scantily clad breasts was almost shameful. "What do you need?"

"_Please_," she whimpered, hips bucking.

Coming to stand before her but refusing to be close enough to touch the groaning woman, her cold gaze bore down on her.

"As much as I probably should, I'm not going to hold your godawful rope tying skills against you," Sakura told her, purposely lowering her voice to draw her in. "Although…"

"No, please…!"

Roughly, she jerked Akina's head back, hard eyes narrowing. "What was that?"

"Please, Milady," she whispered, continuing to rock her hips. "I need…"

Bent over the way she was, their eyes were level and Sakura could see her own reflection in Akina's eyes, the sight of such a cold expression briefly stunning her (though she certainly kept that hidden). It was so weird seeing herself like that.

"What do you need?" she purred.

"I need you to touch me," replied Akina without any shame or embarrassment. "Please, Milady."

Humming once, she smirked. "Consider yourself honoured," muttered Sakura, slowly sinking to her knees. "I don't get on my knees for anyone."

There was a quiet, tortured moan before she even touched her and in response, she looked up at Akina from beneath her lashes, fingertips grazing her thighs in gentle up and down motions.

"If you touch me at any point, I'll stop," she warned smoothly, biting her lower lip. "Is that understood?"

Anticipation had Akina's head falling back, hips demanding her attention as they bucked towards her. Like she was silently answering before repeating herself vocally, she also gripped the chair's backrest behind her, knuckles immediately turning white under her death grip. "Y-Yes, Milady."

Sparing the woman a final, sultry glance, Sakura lowered her lips to her thighs, dragging them across her skin and smirking to herself when goosebumps instantly came to attention.

And then she quickly grabbed Akina's hips, yanking her to the edge of the chair and ignoring her startled squeak, she dove straight in, eyes closing as she worked hard on _not_ letting her inexperience show.

Her tongue moved how she imagined she'd want somebody to do to her, seeking out the bundles of nerves hidden in her folds, even going as far as to spread them with her fingers. The mere feeling of her warm breath on her most intimate area seemed to please Akina, so Sakura did her utmost not to let her lack of confidence throw her off. She was clearly extremely sensitive and receptive. That certainly worked in her favour.

"Is this what you like?" asked Sakura huskily, tongue flicking her clitoris. "Or maybe this?" Her words were soon covered by Akina's loud moan of pleasure, her hips writhing when she began suckling. Smirking against her skin, she said cockily, "The latter, then."

"_Fuck, _I-I need-"

The sentence was broken off by another moan when Sakura made her way down to her opening at a tortuous pace, fighting hard against the urge to wrinkle her nose at the taste of Akina's arousal. Pinning her trembling thighs to the chair, her gaze shot upwards in a dark warning, narrowing on the hands that froze in mid-air and waiting until they were sheepishly grabbing the chair once more before continuing.

"Now, then," she whispered, giving a long stroke of her tongue. It was only after circling around her clitoris teasingly that she continued, murmuring, "I think we'll remove it now."

The relief in Akina's eyes was unmistakable and for a split second, an apology fought to escape her lips and in a bid to keep herself silent, Sakura returned to creating patterns with her tongue – not that the woman really needed any further lubricant. She was well and truly ready.

Easily spotting the small string coated in Akina's juices, she swallowed and moved closer to it, wondering if it would be a turn off if she simply yanked it out. Just in case it was, Sakura shut her eyes and kept her mind empty as she focused on removing the toy, the feeling of it vibrating, alongside Akina's tortured sobs of pleasure, causing a shocking dull ache between her thighs, one that had her releasing a shuddering sigh.

Only when it was entirely removed did Sakura move upwards until she was eye level with the other woman, continuing to hold it in her mouth even as she ordered, "Taste yourself."

Her hesitation was rewarded with Sakura burying her hand in her hair, forcefully bringing her closer.

"Don't make me repeat myself, Toy."

Blushing, Akina's tongue came out, swirling around the toy that continued to vibrate until she was taking it whole in her mouth, meeting Sakura's gaze with lidded eyes.

She caught her chin and released the string before she could close the distance, muttering darkly, "You're not good enough to kiss me."

After taking the toy from Akina's mouth and turning it off, Sakura dropped it onto the floor and lowered herself to her knees once more, making the brunette gasp in shock, back arching beautifully, when she plunged two fingers deep inside her without warning.

"There's only one person good enough to kiss me," she told her coldly with a harsh smile. "You may even have the honour of meeting her at some point."

"Y-You mean…?"

"A threesome?" Pressing her nose to Akina's thigh, she nuzzled it and smirked when she was startled by suddenly being nipped. "Maybe. If you behave and do as I tell you."

It didn't take long for Akina's body to warn her of her fast approaching orgasm, the combined thrusting of her fingers and intense suckling on her clitoris making the woman dizzy with bliss, the sounds of her moans and whimpers continuing to shock Sakura as they brought _her_ pleasure. She tried to shove it aside, to ignore her own arousal, but it was growing more difficult with each passing moment.

Before she came, she retreated, offering her a cold smile at the pained whine. "What? I didn't say you were allowed to orgasm, did I?"

Another tortured sob tore from her lips. "Mi-Milady, _please_…!"

Still kneeling, Sakura untied her, ignoring Akina's surprise when she roughly yanked her to her feet, shoving her in the direction of the drawers.

"Tomorrow, you'll have a bed in here for us to use," she ordered and once she was against the drawers, she came up close behind her, pressing her chest to her back, fingers returning to her heat, creating quick circle motions. "That way, I can fuck you in whatever position I want. Understood?"

"Y-Yes, Milady," she groaned, shaking. Her hands reached out for the drawers, gripping it when her legs grew unsteady. "O-_Oh_, I'm gonna-"

Her fingers stilled.

"What's this?"

Akina was whining, hips restlessly shifting backwards, rubbing against Sakura's, but she stilled them effortlessly by pinning them to the dresser. Frowning, she reached up, brushing her hair aside – she'd spotted it in the split second that Akina had moved her head forward, hair briefly revealing the purple splotches of skin.

Via their reflections, the brunette's eyes met hers, widening fractionally until she shut the emotions out – it was common amongst shinobi in a sad attempt to protect themselves and Sakura wasn't surprised in the least. Either it was her pride she was trying to save, or she was trying to hide her involvement in something.

"You're hurt," she murmured and curiously, she ran her fingers over the bruising, inwardly cringing when she managed to figure out the pattern. Somebody had grabbed her from the looks of things, but their grip had shifted multiple times, so the bruise was more than one handprint – layers of them, in fact. "What happened?"

"None of your business-"

Just as Akina indicated she was about to move, Sakura reached up and grabbed her hair, tipping her head back until her lips were pressing to her ear. "Watch your mouth," she muttered darkly, teeth grazing her earlobe with each word. "You're _my_ toy and I want to know who the hell dared to damage what's _mine_."

It stunned her when she groaned at her words, hips once more rubbing against hers, but Sakura didn't let it show.

"My twin – nothing you have to worry about, Milady," she replied and her hand swung behind her, gripping Sakura's hair to keep her there. "He's a little heavy handed."

Twin? But the positioning of–

Akina was right. It wasn't any of her business.

Running her tongue along the bruising, she made her way back to Akina's ear, sinking her teeth into the lobe, eliciting a gasp.

"It's insulting having you come here covered in someone else's handiwork," murmured Sakura softly. "Don't think I'm going to be so lenient as to let you off the next time it happens."

"Yes, Milady," she whispered.

As much as it sickened her saying such a thing, especially if it was as she suspected, she spat, "I can't even stand to look at you right now. Get the hell out of my sight."

The hand in her hair twitched and through the mirror, she saw genuine panic flash through her eyes. "B-But I-"

"Why would I want to touch you when I have to look at evidence of sharing you?" Reaching up, she grabbed her wrist, pinching the nerves and forcing her to let go. "I don't share."

Gods, she was a terrible person to say such things. Sakura wanted nothing more than to take back the words – she could see the self-loathing in Akina's eyes and it had her aching terribly. But she had a part to play, didn't she? She had to be a cold dominant.

"Please-"

She grabbed her money and pulled away abruptly, turning her back on her so that Akina wouldn't be able to see any cracks in her composure.

"You're making me angry," she warned.

"That's okay – people are always angry with me."

Where was the assertive woman from earlier that day? The woman who claimed others were too afraid to stand up to her? Why was she suddenly saying everyone was angry with her? Well, not everyone, but _people_. Was she referring to family? Business partners? Was her twin in on the whole thing?

She needed to retreat and think everything over. To decide her next plan of action. Doing or interrogating Akina now wasn't an option, for it would be far too soon.

Folding her arms over her chest when she sensed her turning, Sakura scoffed. "We're done for today. Get yourself cleaned up and be here for the same time tomorrow."

"Midnight?" demanded the other woman. "That's so late-"

She spun on her heel, the sight of her anger making her flinch. Once again, Sakura bit back the instinctive apology. "I have to work for a living, you know. I can't go abandoning my responsibilities because you need me." Smirking, she added, "You couldn't afford a whole night with me."

"Wanna bet?" she said. "I'll bring you thrice the amount you usually charge tomorrow."

"I'll believe that when I see it." Already making her way to the door, Sakura snapped, "Tidy this place up and don't forget the bed for tomorrow."

"Yes, Milady."

* * *

"Wise thinking," Itachi complimented. "Interrogating her in the heat of the moment will only end in failure."

Only if she lived up to her reputation.

After leaving Akina to clean up the room, Sakura returned to her pole, spending a meagre fifteen minutes twirling and dancing before she spotted the other woman leaving. Only then did she catch Itachi's eye and tilt her head back, silently ordering him to come to her in the guise of wanting a private dance.

Now, they were settled in one of the rooms. She planned on creating another clone to finish her shift afterwards – while it more than likely seemed unprofessional, her presence was no longer needed in the club since Akina would not be returning until the next night. Just in case she did, however, the clone would warn her.

Cocking her hip to the side, Sakura paused in her response and listened carefully to the door, eyes narrowing.

When another private room door shut, followed by the giggling of a dancer, she focused on Itachi again. "I've got a hunch."

"About the brother."

It wasn't a question, but she still nodded. "What if he's the mastermind behind it all?"

Sitting back in the chair used by customers, he seemed to think it over. Then, he asked, "It's quite the stretch. Why?"

"Call it gut instinct," she muttered. Recalling how awful she'd felt while humiliating Akina about her potential sexual abuse, she swallowed but otherwise remained unmoved outwardly. She couldn't let him know she was pitying the target. "No way would a woman with that kind of reputation let anyone use her like that. You didn't see the bruises, Itachi. They looked like…"

"Like?"

Frowning, she created the clone earlier than planned and instructed her to turn, angling their bodies so that Itachi could see perfectly. Then, she gripped the back of the clone's neck, bending her over.

"It's consistent with this kind of treatment," she informed him and adjusted her grip repeatedly, the clone squawking and soon covering her reddening face, complaining about how weird their demonstration was. "You can't get something like that from anything else – not that I'm aware of."

Itachi stood up, eyes narrowing fractionally like he was in deep thought as he approached the pair of them. "You believe he's abusing her."

Deciding she didn't need to keep showing him her suspicions, she straightened her clone up and offered an apologetic smile. "Sorry. It felt weird outright accusing siblings of incest."

"So you _demonstrated it_ instead?" she hissed in embarrassment.

"Does this mean you are somewhat of a prude, also?"

Sakura rolled her eyes and laughed at him. "Would I re-enact something like that if I was?" She smirked at his sigh and patted her clone's shoulder. "I just don't like throwing accusations out there without showing _why_ I think that way. If I showed you how the bruises came about, you'd see for yourself that there's no other logical explanation for that many handprints being in such a place."

Nodding, he met her gaze, saying, "You don't want to be outed as a pervert."

"Ex-"

"Don't answer that," her clone screeched indignantly, arms being thrown up in the air. "He's baiting you, idiot!"

"_I'm_ the idiot?" demanded Sakura and she whirled the clone around, glaring. "_I'm_ not the one tripping over myself on stage in front of all those people!"

"It wasn't me either, idiot!"

"You-"

"You-"

"Ah," murmured Itachi somewhat thoughtfully and he stepped between them, glancing between their angered expressions. "It seems you have been holding out on me in terms of your personality, Sakura."

It was enough to knock a fraction of her anger away and she shook her head, demanding, "What? You saw my anger first-hand the day I found out I have to marry you."

He smirked. "You're clearly a pervert with anger issues."

Suddenly, it was her clone who was in the middle of them, sheepishly attempting to calm her down while dodging the flying fists.

"I'll show you perverted!"

"Oh?"

"Stop," her clone ordered. It was obvious she was struggling to contain her original self, gritting her teeth when she had to add more strength to holding her back. "He's obviously a closet pervert, Sakura. He _wants_ you to show him you're a pervert!"

Itachi's smirk vanished.

She stilled abruptly, eyeing him warily.

He sighed. "I am not a closet pervert."

"And I'm not a pervert."

"But you admit to having anger issues."

It was said seriously, but she could hear the faint traces of a joke hidden within the words. She smiled playfully. "Oh, I _know_ I have anger issues, so don't push it."

Surprising her, he chuckled. "It seems you're still channelling the mission's persona."

Shit, was she? Instead of showing her horror, she smirked, eyes narrowing. "Maybe I'm growing to like it?"

What if she _was_ growing to like it, though? After all, there was no denying she'd been aroused while pleasuring Akina. Gods, that confused the hell out of her, too. Did that mean she liked women? Or that she liked being in control during sex? Did it mean she liked BDSM?

No, it wasn't possible. It still made her skin crawl and she felt as though she was abusing the poor woman half the time – and she was beginning to _sympathise _with Akina, too. BDSM clearly wasn't her thing and it showed in the way she held herself back from going all out, using the first excuse she could find to retreat.

So, was she into women? Or, at the very least, curious? She would never deny finding Akina attractive, after all.

"In all seriousness," Sakura began, biting her lip and trying to shove the confusion aside. "I think I may actually need to research it, after all."

There was no surprise or annoyance in his features. If anything, Itachi seemed kind of pleased to hear the words, for a ghost of a smile flitted over his lips. "It is nothing to be ashamed of, for there is always room for improvement."

Yeah, and she could do with a lot of improvement in that area.

"This town is notorious for its transgressions," added Itachi helpfully. "There will be countless stores that could be of use to us."

Us?

She frowned. "You're going to research it, too?"

He paused in his turning to the door, looking over his shoulder to her. "Of course. What sort of teammate leaves all the hard work to others?" He smiled. "Besides, I am apparently the only one with the honour of kissing you. I can't afford to appear inferior during our threesome."

His smile widened briefly, playfully, when she felt her cheeks raging.

* * *

Researching BDSM was terrifying and it made Sakura wish she'd been warned in advance about Akina's fetish.

"This is…"

She could only nod when Itachi's voice trailed off, swallowing hard at the sight of the poor woman's breasts being bound so viciously. Shuddering at just the thought of it happening to her own, Sakura folded her arms over her chest like she was trying hard to protect them from her own imagination.

Due to the target's sexual preferences, she'd carefully (kind of reluctantly) selected BDSM tapes, books and other informative pieces that consisted of two women. She'd toyed with the idea of Itachi joining them as a man, but quickly shot the idea down as she reminded herself that not only was Akina a lesbian, but she was also (allegedly, at least until she had more proof) being abused by her twin brother. Chances were, it'd turn her off or even be one of her hard limits. It could potentially scare her.

"Oh my God," Sakura gasped, hands covering her mouth at the brutal pounding the woman was receiving with a dildo. The dominant woman was enjoying herself, moaning along with her, talking down to the submissive with a condescending expression and it reminded her of the way she'd briefly been aroused by Akina's pleasure. "How is this pleasuring her? She looks like she's being abused."

"Some people prefer rough sex," was all Itachi could say.

"There's rough and then there's _this!"_ Standing abruptly, she turned off the television, sighing with relief when the noise stopped. Turning, she told him, "I'm in way over my head, aren't I?"

What if Akina wanted that level of BDSM? What if she _wanted_ to be suspended from the ceiling not only by her arms and legs, but by her breasts too? What if she wanted to have a dildo the size of her freaking arm rammed inside of her and–

"There is every chance the target is relatively new to BDSM," he told her.

Why the hell wasn't he as freaked out as her? Yes, it was obvious he was kind of troubled by the horrific video they'd only watched fifteen minutes of, but she felt like he wasn't understanding her panic whatsoever. Though, she supposed, that was more than likely because he still had a few more days to research it all, whereas she'd been thrown into the deep end and left to navigate the murky waters of BDSM by herself.

Groaning, she threw herself back onto her bed, willing herself to regain her composure. She couldn't be losing her head in front of Itachi – not when the mission would decide the outcome of her future as a kunoichi.

"Denying her an orgasm seems to be working well," Sakura muttered reluctantly. "Perhaps if I continue edging her the way I have been, I can…" She trailed off and shook her head, eyes shutting in resignation. "I have no idea what to do."

"Nobody is expecting you to," Itachi reminded her and he turned in his seat on his own bed. When she opened her eyes, he was watching her. "You have already discovered she is potentially just the face of their operation – this is the most vital piece of information you could have found out, especially so early on."

The praise was welcomed wholeheartedly and helped to make Sakura feel less like a failure. Smiling faintly, she sat up, telling him, "I'm going to scope out the town tomorrow and see if anyone has any information on them."

"What would you like me to do?"

She eyed the blank screen with obvious wariness, her eyebrows knitting together unsurely. The thought of him sticking around and watching the tape and all the others they'd loaned seemed… She wasn't sure. It just didn't sit right with her.

"I want you to shadow Akina," she ordered after several moments of careful consideration. "Take notes of everything – and I mean everything. I want to know what she does, when she does it and how."

Shadowing Akina herself would be far too risky. There was the risk that she was a sensory type, but regardless of whether she was that status or not, she'd had ample time to focus on her chakra – and Sakura knew that she didn't pass as a civilian to her, so if she was any kind of shinobi, she would have done that. Then, there was the risk of her entourage. Both times she'd entered the strip club, she'd been closely followed by several high ranked shinobi. That wasn't a coincidence.

Itachi's henge made him appear as nothing spectacular. He blended in with the crowd. _And _he had the added bonus of possessing the sharingan, meaning he was able to cover his tracks should he be discovered.

"Understood."

Glancing to the clock between their beds, Sakura sighed and rubbed her eye tiredly. "I can't believe it's three o'clock already."

They'd left the club at around one, not truly surprised to find that seedy stores such as the one they purchased the tapes from were still open. Alongside grabbing BDSM research material, they'd picked up food too, though admittedly, Sakura had lost her appetite after walking through the sex store.

"The streets are still busy, though I can't say I'm surprised," replied Itachi and he stood, walking over to the window. Pulling back the curtain, he glanced out at the street, allowing the tacky neon lights to spill into their room. "The clubs will be open until morning, no doubt."

She didn't need to look out the window to know there were people on the streets – she could hear them. Drunkenly laughing and talking obnoxiously loud, demanding the attention of everyone. Hell, somewhere in the distance, so very faintly, she could even hear moaning. However, she wasn't sure if that was someone moaning in pleasure, or because they were sick. They were too intoxicated, from the sounds of things.

"We should try and get some sleep," she said with a sigh and slipped beneath her covers, bringing them up to her chin. "_If_ we can, that is."

There was a quiet hum before the neon lights vanished, hidden behind the thick curtains. She wished they also worked to block out the noises coming from the streets, but she was happy enough with the lights being gone.

Once Itachi was settled into his own bed, Sakura turned onto her back, frowning up at the ceiling. "Itachi?"

"Hm?"

Worriedly (and thankful that he'd switched the light out, meaning he couldn't see her worry), she bit her lip, hesitating in asking her question.

She sensed him shifting in his bed. "Is something wrong?"

"How am I doing so far?" she asked quietly, hoping more than anything that he couldn't hear the anxiety digging its claws into her.

While Sakura preferred to come across as the type of woman who was impossible to intimidate or was so tough that she couldn't be broken down, she knew better than anyone that that wasn't the case. She had fears and insecurities. She had aspirations and wants that had yet to be accomplished.

There was another pause in his response (telling her he'd picked up on her anxiety despite her fighting hard to hide it) until he murmured softly, "Remaining an active kunoichi is important to you."

"It means everything to me," she corrected, swallowing down the hard lump in her throat. "Being Konoha's Haruno Sakura is who I am – it's all I know. And now on top of being thrown headfirst into an arranged marriage with a clan such as your own, they're also trying to strip me of who I am. Of everything I've worked so hard for and everything I've overcome. Who am I if I no longer have that?"

Her words silenced him from saying more and she felt her chest constricting from the weight of her emotions, but she refused to let anything more show. Instead, she turned her back on him, squeezing her eyes shut and biting down hard on her lip.

And just as she was drifting off to sleep, she heard two words spoken so quietly that she was fairly certain she hadn't heard them at all. That they were a mere figment of her imagination.

"_I'm sorry."_


	11. You Open My Eyes

**Chapter 9 – You Open My Eyes**

After those two seemingly simple words, sleep evaded her, no matter how tired she felt and she could tell from his too even breathing that Itachi was unable to sleep, too.

Turning her head to the side, her eyes which had long since adjusted to the darkness peered over in his direction, taking in the sight of his relaxed body. Had she not been who she was, she would have easily fallen for his façade of sleeping.

Noise continued outside their room, the sounds of the sins going on in the town no doubt being a factor in her sleeplessness. Trying to sleep when she could hear people having sex or fighting or drunkenly clambering down the street was hardly soothing. It actually caused her to feel a humongous swell of agitation, one that continued to fester the longer she tried to ignore them.

One look at the alarm clock informed her it was closer to six than it was five and she felt her stomach drop as she warned herself she'd be carrying out a mission while exhausted – a mission, might she add, that would decide whether she remained an active kunoichi.

"How is the cat?"

Hearing him shifting in his bed, she sighed, gaze returning to his silhouette. "I took him to Hana-san – he's healthy and been given a course of treatments to help with his flea allergy."

He hummed, sounding as tired as she felt. "Did you decide on a name?"

"Kyo," she replied quietly. "Mom's watching him for the duration of the mission, then hopefully I won't be out of the village again, so I won't have to leave him until we're living together."

"You trust that I would take better care of him than your own mother?"

"It's harsh, but… Yeah. She's too heavily influenced by my dad."

"As is my own mother."

Once more, Sakura sighed, wondering if she really was about to pull an all-nighter before attempting to extract information from their target. It definitely wasn't the wisest idea. Though, in a way, she supposed spending it with Itachi would redeem herself slightly. That way, she had the chance to get to know him better. She could worm her way in.

He'd seemed to appreciate the show of vulnerability earlier, Sakura hadn't failed to notice, though she knew not to use it at every turn. To do so would make her seem insincere, wouldn't it?

"I always told myself that I'd never be in a relationship like that," she told him softly. Now that they were face-to-face, she could see his features somewhat. The fact he was looking directly at her told Sakura he could see hers too. "I'd rather be a lonely old woman who dies single and surrounded by her cats."

"I apologise for ruining your plans."

She huffed with amusement. "I already have one cat, don't I?"

Apparently, that wasn't the right thing to say, because she could see the beginnings of a frown. "Do you believe you will be lonely in our marriage?"

The question was hard to answer, for she knew that in the heat of the moment, she would undoubtedly say yes. How could she not feel lonely, she wanted to reply with. Their only moments of intimacy (which wouldn't even be all that intimate, since it was out of obligation) would be to create a child or children. Outside of that, they would keep their distance – they wouldn't even be sleeping in the same bed. She would be living and married to a man she didn't love.

"I'm a hopeless romantic," she murmured in response. "I want to date someone who likes me. I want to hold hands and kiss and not out of obligation. I…" It stunned even her when the words died on her tongue, voice cracking. Weakly, Sakura smiled. "I want to fall in love with someone who loves me back."

"As you previously said," came his quiet response and she heard him sigh before continuing. "We may not fall in love, but at the very least, we could be friends who have great sex."

Gods, she was grateful for the darkness because her face _scorched_ with the blush that suddenly went straight up to her hairline.

"Pervert," she said with a laugh, damning herself for sounding breathless while calling him out. Then, while sobering up, she asked softly, "Do you think we ever could?"

"Fall in love?"

Sakura nodded and snuggled deeper into her pillow, eyes straining to get a better read of his features. Like always, however, Itachi wore his mask.

"Going off our interactions so far, I would say eventually, feelings will or could develop."

"Don't answer it like that," she chided gently and leaned up on her elbow, frowning. "Answer it like a normal man – not as the heir to your clan."

"As an ordinary man…" Itachi sighed once more and copied her in leaning on his elbow. "The thought of entering an arranged marriage is daunting. We will be living together, meaning we will see all parts of each other – physically, emotionally and mentally. As an ordinary man, I hope that we do fall in love, or care for one another at the very least."

Banishing her mission from her mind wasn't allowed, but she almost wished she could, because the man before her was not the cold Uchiha Itachi they saw around the village. He was not the unapproachable, misunderstood man they knew nothing about. In that moment, he was just Itachi.

It had her desperately hoping that Tsunade's suspicions was nothing more than paranoia.

"You can't force it," she added and smiled faintly. "But here's to trying."

"I assure you, I will do what I can to prevent any discomfort you feel. Not only in moving into our own home, but also moving into the district. I understand that my clansmen can be intimidating at the best of times, so if any threatening behaviour happens, please inform me. I will deal with it swiftly."

The last thing she needed was for Itachi to be ostracised further. She needed him up there, involved in all the meetings and by his father's side, never missing a beat.

"Please," she said haughtily and snorted. "I'm no damsel in distress. I can handle myself."

There was a smirk in his voice as he replied, "That I don't doubt."

"Thank you. For talking to me."

"I will be your husband – you can always talk to me."

It shouldn't, but his words brought a small smile to her lips and she lowered herself to the bed once more, eyes shutting. "Wake me in the morning, please."

* * *

"Sakura."

Groaning tiredly, she twisted in the blanket, praying that the annoyance who was currently trying to wake her would disappear already. Couldn't he see that she was tired?

"Sakura."

"What?" she whined into her pillow.

"It is seven-"

"In the morning?"

The dangerous tone to her voice seemed to make him pause, before Itachi was answering, "Yes."

It seemed to take him by surprise when he was forced to catch the pillow she'd been using, soon raising said pillow to block the clock that was launched at his head in a follow up attack.

By the time the feathers from inside the pillow started falling to the ground, she was on her feet on the bed, glowering down at him.

Her knuckles cracked warningly when she clenched her fists. "It's seven o'clock in the morning."

"Yes. You asked that I gave you a wakeup call."

Yes, she had. But not at seven o'clock in the freaking morning, especially not when they only managed to fall asleep an hour ago. What the hell was wrong with him? "This town is all about its nightlife," she snapped angrily. "Who the hell will be up at this time, other than us two idiots?"

Nowhere was going to be open. The clubs would have only been closed for an hour or two. She was so goddamn angry with him in that moment that it nearly blinded her, especially considering she would not be meeting with Akina until midnight.

"I see you are not a morning person."

Not a morning person? Not a _fucking_ morning person?

But just as she stepped down off her bed, she caught sight of herself in the mirror opposite their beds and felt all colour draining from her features at the sight of herself – or, more specifically, her _hair_.

How the hell hadn't he laughed at her?

"What the-" She cut herself off and rushed to the mirror, fingering the huge knot. "How the hell has that happened?" demanded Sakura, horrified. "Did you do something to my hair?"

"Why would I do that to your hair?" he questioned with a sigh and approached, coming to stand behind her. Curiously, Itachi watched as she desperately tried to separate the strands of hair that'd formed the knot, before sighing at her shaking fingers. "You will end up snapping your hair at this rate."

"What else am I supposed to do?" she questioned, sour mood already forgotten as panic exploded in her chest. "I can't just leave it like this!"

It confused her when Itachi left the room momentarily, though only seconds later and he was approaching her, setting down a bottle of conditioner, a comb in his other hand. "Go and rinse your hair," he ordered.

Too thankful for his comradery, Sakura did as ordered and made quick work of soaking her hair, wrapping a towel around her shoulders. By the time she returned to the room, he was sat cross legged on his bed, conditioner between his legs and comb next to him.

Was sitting on his bed with him appropriate–

She was being ridiculous! They would be married in a handful of weeks.

Sitting in front of him, she smiled gratefully, eyes shutting when Itachi immediately got started on trying to untangle the knot. She was surprised by the gentleness of his fingers as they worked tirelessly, first separating what he could before moving onto the conditioner, applying it to the knot and massaging it in. Then, he began the process of detangling it.

"You are a restless sleeper," he told her suddenly.

"I am?" She frowned and tried to look over her shoulder at him but smiled sheepishly when Itachi straightened her head. "Nobody's ever told me that before."

He huffed once, sounding amused. "I am surprised Sasuke hasn't – he is more often than not incredibly agitated."

"Around your clan, maybe," she countered and chuckled. "With our team, he's only ever in a bad mood if he's had some kind of altercation with your clan or Naruto's pissed him off."

The hands in her hair stilled. "Altercations?"

"Yeah," replied Sakura slowly. Frowning, this time she managed to meet his eye, saying, "He never goes into detail about it – Sasuke-kun has always been a private person, after all – but I think it has something to do with his bond with Naruto."

The thoughtful frown on his features, alongside the gentle pressure of his hands, forced Sakura to look forward once more. Her eyes shut again when she felt him using the comb, the feeling of her almost free hair making her sigh with relief.

"Perhaps use less product tonight," he advised.

Shit, how could she have forgotten about that? The amount of hairspray she'd used yesterday to hold her curls in place (without looking awful, of course) had been shameful, but not half as shameful as her half-hearted attempt of brushing it out before bed.

"About Sasuke," Itachi then surprised her by continuing their previous conversation. "While I was aware of his lack in pushing in Naruto-kun's training, I was unaware of our clansmen confronting him about it. I believed it to only be our father."

It didn't take much to school her expression into a thoughtful frown, though she couldn't deny her heart sunk a little at his words. "Naruto's training?" she repeated. "You mean in general or to control the Kyuubi?"

He sighed at that. "My clan and the Kyuubi are linked by-"

"Your sharingan." Yes, she knew that already. The more powerful the sharingan, the stronger the leash on the tailed beast. "I think your friend, Shisui-san, used to be the watcher, didn't he?"

"For a while."

"It makes more sense that it's Sasuke-kun," Sakura continued thoughtfully. "His sharingan isn't on Shisui-san's level, but it's not to be underestimated."

Out of the corner of her eye, she spotted that she could just about see Itachi's expression via the television screen. From what she could tell, he seemed proud.

"I didn't know Naruto wanted to train with the Kyuubi, though," she said, putting on a show of hurt. "He never told me."

"That is because he doesn't want to – at least, that is what Sasuke told our father." The feeling of his hands suddenly leaving her hair had Sakura instantly reaching up, shoulders sagging with relief when she was met with smooth, silky strands. "I believe my clan may be pushing the training as it would mean less chance of the Kyuubi breaking free of its seal. I'm sure you're aware of it weakening over time?"

Intrigued, she twisted around, hand coming behind her to keep herself steady as she met Itachi's eye. "Sasuke-kun _did_ say something about that once during training. Naruto was getting… Not exactly out of control, but escalating in a way that was unusual for him, you know?" When he nodded once, showing that he was listening, she added, "I guess it's only natural for your clan to be more in tune with the Kyuubi and its seal. You'll know before the rest of us if Naruto was losing control, right?"

He shook his head, sighing. "Many believe that to be the case, but they're wrong. It is solely due to those beliefs that my clan wishes for Naruto-kun to gain complete control."

To prevent the accusations, should the Kyuubi ever break free. Yes, she'd read something along those lines in the Sandaime's scroll. People had instantly pointed the finger, claiming it all to be an orchestrated attack and because of that, the Uchiha were ostracised further. It created more instability.

"To prevent hostility," she murmured.

"Yes."

Sighing, she admitted, "There was talk about your clan having something to do with the night Naruto became the jinchūriki – the night the Kyuubi was freed."

Nothing showed on his features, though Sakura couldn't say that surprised her in the least. After however many years of being regarded with uncertainty and accusations, anyone in the clan's position would have learned to master the perfect pokerface.

"What did you think of that?"

"I thought…" She took a deep breath, biting her lip for a second. "I thought that the people who were talking about it, shouldn't have been. There must have been a reason why the Hokage forbade it, right? But…" Sakura shrugged. "Don't get me wrong, I know your clan is powerful and there's often been gossip over how much damage just yourself or Shisui-san alone could create – never mind your entire clan – but I can't see your clan randomly turning on the village like that. I mean, you lost people that night too, right?"

He nodded once, though was otherwise silent.

"There's probably been a few who gave cause for concern, but you get that everywhere and to immediately assume your clan had to be tied with that night is ridiculous – and I'm not just saying that because you're sat here with me," Sakura continued truthfully. Her words were completely true and exactly what she'd been thinking when she first read the scroll. "Besides, I've seen for myself that not all Uchiha are bad. Sasuke-kun's just as devoted to our team as the rest of us and he's always working hard to make sure Konoha's safe. Surely if something untoward was happening or happened, he would be affected by it somehow? He's the patriarch's son, after all."

It was silent for a few moments before Itachi concluded her rant with, "You dislike taking sides."

She smirked. "Unless Tsunade-sama is betting – then I always side with the other person."

Thankfully, the tension was lightened by his chuckle. "A wise decision."

"I think as long as Konoha is safe and the villagers aren't at risk, then we should all relax a little," continued Sakura after a couple of minutes. "Your clan should relax in regards to the Kyuubi, although I understand that they can only do that if the village opens themselves up more to them and makes them feel less disliked."

He studied her expression for what felt like the longest time, leaving her to fluster a little as she scratched at her cheek, smiling sheepishly.

"I-I mean, that's what our marriage is all about, right?" she said with the same fake nervous smile. "To try and integrate your clan more with the village."

"While some do believe we have been ostracised, there is the fair argument that we do not open ourselves to the village as much as we could," Itachi agreed, lips twitching with a ghost of a smile. "By marrying outside of the clan, we are hoping to show that we are on equal grounds."

"You'd think we'd have to do something like this with a foreign village," Sakura mumbled with obvious displeasure. "Not between the village and one of its cofounding clans."

"It does seem grossly unnecessary," he acknowledged, nodding and finally placing the comb down on his bed. She hadn't even realised he'd still been holding it until that moment, so wrapped up in her own ranting. "But it is the sad reality we must face."

"We'll show them," she assured him and grabbed the conditioner and comb with the intention of washing it out of her hair. "I suppose having children with you will also show that the rumours of the sharingan weakening when mixed with outside blood wrong, too."

"Perhaps."

Sliding off his bed, she offered Itachi a smile. "Well, I'm fully awake now after a heavy conversation like that, so I'm going to go and wash my hair, then you're going to treat me to breakfast."

"Oh?"

"Please, future husband?"

He smirked and while she could have been mistaken, Sakura was certain that their conversation had tired him out – mentally, at least. It looked as though it was a fight he'd been involved in for many years now, leaving him battle weary.

Frowning once she was inside the bathroom, she placed down the items and turned on the shower, wondering if it would even be that hard bringing Uchiha Itachi onto their side, should there be any plans of a coup d'état.

* * *

Nothing.

Frustration had her collapsing backwards onto her bed, pouting up at the ceiling all the while she could feel eyes on her.

"They're all lying," she growled with annoyance. "They were happy throwing their money at me last night, but it seems they don't want to actually talk to me."

Not that it was really too surprising. Just annoying as hell.

While people were more than willing to hand over their money in such a corrupt town, none of them wanted to be linked to it. They didn't want others to know of their transgressions. So, unless completely wasted and enjoying the dancing of beautiful, naked women (or men), gambling away their earnings and entangling themselves in the throes of passion, they didn't want to be involved.

"It's hardly surprising," Itachi unknowingly repeated her thoughts. "They will want to lessen the risk of being caught here."

"No doubt most of them have partners at home waiting around for them," Sakura muttered.

"Or worse, raising and providing for their family."

Gods, it made her so angry, but to spare Itachi from another one of her never-ending rants, she took a deep, calming breath and tilted her head to the side, saying, "Please tell me you had better luck than me?"

"I managed to track two rogue-nin back to their base," he informed her and sat down on his own bed. "I am no sensory type, however. I can only estimate that there are several platoons residing there."

Knowing she didn't have to worry about Itachi's remaining undetected, she groaned and sat up, facing him and her hands came behind her, allowing her to lean back. "Well, at least there's that," she mumbled with annoyance towards herself. "Did you spot Akina?"

He shook his head once.

Damn it. "We only have three days before we need to return to the village," came her thoughtful mutter. Tugging on her lip, she frowned. "I'll try and find out tonight whether Akina has a bigger role in the organisation."

"If she doesn't?"

"I'll extract all I can about her personality and mannerisms," Sakura plotted. "From there, I'll take her out and pose as her, infiltrating the base."

There was a pause in his response. "You understand that if your suspicions are correct-"

"That I'm opening myself up to abuse – abuse Akina potentially cannot defend herself from." As much as she hated the thought of it, she knew she had no other choice, should she want their mission to be a success. "And, because of that, I can't defend myself against it, either. It'd give my position away."

She could feel him watching her closely, no doubt trying to get a read on her thoughts and emotions, but she showed him nothing. Itachi didn't need to know how much the thought of possibly having to accept being raped terrified her. Was it still classed as rape if she accepted it?

"Sakura-"

Cutting him off swiftly, she sat up straight. "Not only Konoha, but Fire Country, relies on my completing this mission successfully," Sakura told him sternly. "What is one kunoichi's purity compared to the lives of thousands?"

He frowned, the first show of emotion she'd witnessed and it caused her to stop in her tracks, watching him with eyes that threatened to widen and give away her shock. But she couldn't let him see that.

"You would be okay with that?"

"Not at all," she argued softly, frowning. "But for the sake of others, I accept it. I won't be the first kunoichi – or shinobi in general – who will be raped for the sake of a mission and I highly doubt I'll be the last."

Shocking Sakura further, annoyance flitted over Itachi's face, though it was gone less than a second later, like he hadn't meant for her to see the emotions.

"Perhaps it would be for the best then that you don't remain-"

"Don't you dare finish that sentence," she muttered while standing, glaring at him when Itachi copied her example and stood up, too. He easily had over a foot of height on her, but in that moment, she didn't register the difference. No, in that moment, to her, they were eye level and like hell she would _ever_ accept having someone talk down to her. "Saying that I shouldn't be a kunoichi anymore because you can't handle the fact _this_ is what we _always_ deal with-"

"You will be my wife," he argued, eyes narrowing. "Do you expect me to sit back and watch you go out on missions, knowing you will be raped and being powerless to prevent it? That it is purely for the sake of a mission?"

"Would you give it all up?" she demanded hotly. Fists clenching at her sides, she leaned closer, the anger in her stomach burning and demanding she lashed out. But she couldn't. She _wouldn't_. "If I have to retire from being a kunoichi, would you step down with me?"

He was feeling angry too. She could tell in the way he took a deep, calming breath before responding _too_ calmly, "You know I cannot do that."

"Then don't expect me to, either," muttered Sakura. "I have just as much right as you to be a shinobi."

"I am not insinuating that you don't."

"I'll never become a meek housewife who stands silently beside her husband," she informed him coldly. "Husband or not, you will _never_ force into a decision I don't want to make."

"Our bet-"

"Is still on," she said reluctantly. Then, narrowing her eyes, Sakura warned, "But you'd better not let this influence your decision, Itachi. I swear to the Gods I will raise hell if you stop me being an active kunoichi simply because _you_ can't handle a kunoichi's inevitable fate."

With that said, she grabbed her jacket and stormed out of their room, slamming the door for good measure.

Who the hell did he think he was?

Sakura was aware that she was making people uneasy with her blatant display of anger, but she couldn't control it. Whenever she felt such a way back in Konoha, she would seek out her team or even train alone depending on how volatile she felt. Out there, however, she couldn't train. A single punch would blow her cover, even if her henge _did_ only hide her seal.

Glancing to the left of her, she swiftly entered a café, ordering a pot of tea and sitting in the far corner. It was next to a window, allowing her to watch the world go by while she tried her hardest to calm herself.

A kunoichi's fate was sealed the moment she decided to become one, because at some point in their lives, seduction would be expected of them – and not only seduction.

Itachi thought her mission was dark? What the hell would he think knowing that Ino had had to pretend to be someone else and marry a man twenty years older than her, when she was just thirteen years old? That, originally, the plan was to legitimately marry the guy and stay with him for as long as it took for the real woman to lose weight and make herself more appealing? That it meant, at just thirteen years of age, she would have lost her virginity on their freaking wedding night? Ino had been a wreck for months after realising how close she'd come to losing her virginity for the sake of a mission.

It could be so, so much worse than what she had to do. Sakura was freaking _lucky_ that she was still a virgin at eighteen. How many other kunoichi – no, scratch that. Not even kunoichi. Women in general. How many of them could say the same? That they were still virgins at eighteen?

Did it suck that they had to endure such atrocities? Hell yeah. But they _endured_ just as they were trained to. They did what any other shinobi could and got on with it.

_That_ was why she accepted potentially being raped by Akina's twin.

The men were either completely oblivious or they were ignorant, turning a blind eye to their suffering. That or they simply didn't realise the impact it actually had on their lives.

Gods, Team Seven had backed her up once on a mission to seduce a man who made an attempt on the Hokage's life (they'd needed evidence of it being him, hence why Tsunade hadn't gone after him herself) and they only learned on that mission just what it meant to be a kunoichi. They never really registered how much they had to give up until it was someone they loved being faced with the hardships.

_That_ was why they were so fiercely protective over everything she'd done and accomplished. It was why Naruto and Kakashi had been angered by Sasuke's dismissal of her status, telling her to give it up for Itachi's sake.

"It's you."

Too late did she realise who it was, and Sakura struggled to regain her composure, the look of anger no doubt still in her features since Akina blinked in surprise, seeming taken aback.

"What do you want?"

"How cold of you," Akina said with a smile and gestured to the chair. "May I?"

_No_, she wanted to snap. _No you may not_. The last thing Sakura needed, when already sympathising with the target, was to get to know her on a deeper level.

Instead, she nodded once, asking, "Did you sort it?"

She nodded, leaning against the table to close the distance between them somewhat. Sakura remained sat upright, hands around her mug, aura undoubtedly unapproachable and closed off.

"And the money, too," she told her. "It's all waiting for you."

Well, at least she'd earned back what she'd had to spend on BDSM research material. Many times over, if Akina wasn't exaggerating.

When she merely nodded, the brunette frowned softly, asking, "Are you-"

"We're going to meet earlier," Sakura rudely cut her off. "An hour after it opens."

She paused, lips twitching. "Understood."

Narrowing her eyes, she leaned closer, elbows resting on the table as she stared her down coldly.

Akina blushed, gaze darting around the café before she murmured, "Understood, Milady."

Sakura rewarded her with a warm smile, even though she felt far from smiling on the inside. Sitting back in her chair, she watched the other woman closely, noticing instantly how her cheeks darkened in their blush when she saw her smile. She made sure to save the knowledge for later use.

"How long have you been doing this for?" questioned Sakura curiously.

"What, you mean…?" Ah, so she was shy about it – or at least wary of others hearing about her fetishes. She supposed that was understandable, since not a lot of people understood BDSM – herself included. "Not long," Akina admitted with a small smile. "I only realised I enjoyed it when we moved here."

She snorted at that, rolling her eyes. "You _chose_ to move here?"

"No, my twin did. I had no choice but to go along with it."

_There_.

Narrowing her eyes, she tipped her chin to the waitress, thanking her distractedly when another cup was placed between them. Sakura didn't fail to notice that Akina thrived under the attention, her breathing quickening at the rude dismissal of the waitress. It appeared she enjoyed being number one, she noted. That would come in handy for their threesome.

"The one who gave you the bruises."

It wasn't a question, fortunately for Akina since the woman refused to answer it directly. No, she instead mumbled, "I went to a medic-nin and had them treated."

So she _was_ ashamed by whatever was going on between them, though that wasn't too surprising. Incest was gross. Plain and simple.

"Good," Sakura told her. "I don't want to have to look at the evidence of incest."

She flinched like she'd been struck and she inwardly cursed in response, hoping she hadn't pushed Akina away with her harsh tongue.

Under the table, she crossed her legs, foot gently brushing against Akina's leg in an almost comforting gesture.

"You're not willing."

"Of course not!" snapped Akina before she sucked in a sharp breath, desperate eyes looking around the café once more. Ducking her head, she added in a low mutter, "Why the hell would anyone want that?"

Again, Sakura scoffed. "You'd be surprised the sort of things you see in my line of work."

It was daringly that she sat forward once more, saying, "Okay, so you know a secret about me. What about you?"

"What about me?"

"You're not an ordinary person. You're a kunoichi."

There was no point in trying to lie. Sakura was well aware of the fact she didn't come across as a civilian. So, she shrugged, saying, "So?"

The brazen reply stunned her momentarily, causing her to lose whatever she'd been planning on saying. She stared up at Sakura in shock and uncertainty, their gazes locked.

"Rogue-nin?" she questioned quietly.

"What's it to you?"

Was she being too defensive? No, she couldn't have been, because Akina smiled up at her shyly, brushing her hair behind her ear, telling her, "I can get you in with our group, if you want?"

That would be… too easy.

Snorting, she said harshly, "And be part of a group with a leader who's into raping his sister? No, thanks."

While sipping her tea, Sakura kept an eye on Akina from her peripheral, watching carefully as she internally warred with something.

_Take the bait…_

_C'mon. Rise to it!_

"What makes you think he's the leader?"

Not the kind of rise she was after, but it worked well for her, either way. "You."

She frowned. "Me?"

"You contradict yourself repeatedly. You do know that, right?" Huffing with amusement, Sakura brushed her hair back. "You come to me claiming to be some big shot who people can't go against, but then during our second meeting, you let it slip that everyone is always angry with you." She raised a demanding eyebrow. "So, which one is it? Are you nothing more than a pitiful toy – and not just when it comes to me – or are you a powerful woman like you originally claimed to be?"

Akina chuckled nervously and leaned back in her seat, looking out of the window. "What is this, an interrogation?"

Oh? Had she hit a nerve? "Hardly," she said with a roll of her eyes. "I just want to know more about my latest plaything. And, by the way, the fact that you think _this_ is an interrogation tells me you're not half the woman you claim to be."

Was breaking a person down part of BDSM? Sakura was ashamed to admit she hadn't tried delving further into her research for fear of scarring herself for life. Gods, she was so immature, wasn't she?

From what little she'd seen of it: it wasn't entirely about punishment and humiliation. It was about training and discipline. It was about communication and _control_.

Her fingers tapped against the table.

Not for the first time, Sakura couldn't help but wonder _why_ Akina would want to relinquish control considering all she endured. She sure as hell wouldn't let anyone control her if it'd all been stripped away from her.

Narrowing her eyes fractionally, Akina replied, "It's none of your business."

Her hand stilled and she warned her, "Watch your mouth."

Having her immediately back down, in such a neutral place where BDSM didn't come into play, told Sakura all she needed to know and so she stood, looking down her nose at her.

"Be there when the club opens."

Her eyes widened. "Wait-"

But she didn't listen, instead turning on her heel and walking away, going as far as to leave Akina with the bill.

* * *

Grabbing the pole, she lifted herself effortlessly and twirled, biting her lip at the gathered crowd.

As per her instructions, Akina was seated at the bar. She wasn't allowed to approach her. She wasn't allowed to leave her seat. Instead, she had to watch her dance for others, to witness as they greedily pawed at her body every time they shoved another note in her thong or cleavage.

She didn't know it, but Itachi was sat just two seats from her, listening in on any conversations she took part in. So far, only one person of interest had approached the brunette – interest because of the way they attempted to converse discreetly, though not discreetly enough.

When Sakura performed a particularly sultry move, it not only gained her more notes thrown to her feet, but also the woman's attention as it zeroed in on her. Akina shifted in her seat, grip tightening on her glass before she knocked the sake back, her disliking of the attention Sakura was receiving palpable, even from her position on the stage.

That answered that, then. Akina was a jealous type, meaning easily provoked when faced with a situation such as the one Sakura had forced her into. Instead of showering her with attention like she'd insinuated earlier that day, the brunette was forced to sit and watch as she entertained everyone _but_ her. Was it a dangerous game provoking her in such a way? Perhaps, but every decision in their profession was dangerous, really. Everything carried a risk with it.

Would Sakura's dismissive behaviour push her away, or push her over the edge? Would it make her lose their one shot of bringing down the organisation threatening Fire Country, or would it aid her in getting all she needed out of Akina when the woman gave in to her primal urges?

Deciding to really push the boundaries, Sakura slinked off the stage, walking slowly and allowing her punters to slot money into the waistband of her thong, rewarding them all with fleeting glances and gentle caresses. The touching seemed to drive Akina crazy as she tossed her glass back onto the bar and silently seethed, though not once did move from her seat, for she had been ordered not to.

And as Sakura approached the bar, just when the brunette perked up believing her attention was now solely hers, Akina was greeted with a cold smirk that had her deflating. That deflation warped into anger when Sakura shifted her footing, smoothly sliding into the lap of the man seated close by.

"Hi," she murmured, fingers grazing his chest.

"Hi," came the quiet repeat.

Smiling, green eyes peered up, meeting Akina's gaze before dismissing her once more, glancing at the man she was on top of.

"Why don't you ever come closer to the stage?" asked Sakura with a pout. "I could really do with a handsome face like yours looking up at me while I'm dancing."

She masked her instinctual flinch when his hand came to her back, steadying her as he shifted in his seat. "You have plenty fighting for your attention," he answered at length. "I would rather wait."

Making sure to keep Akina in her peripheral, she watched as the woman struggled to contain her jealous rage, though the sight of her trembling form informed them all she was failing spectacularly at doing so.

"You want another private dance with me?" she questioned, smiling at his boring features warmly.

"You make me feel things I never thought possible."

The words had her meeting his eye, wondering how she would feel about such words had she not been looking at plain, brown eyes, but instead his usual darkness – the ones that told her that he was so much more than the man he made himself out to be, the ones that allowed her glimpses of a kindness so rarely shown.

"Is that so?" Her voice lowered, taking on a sultrier tone as she tugged on the collar of his shirt, bringing their faces closer and closer and so _excitingly_ _closer_–

"Apples."

Sakura was surprised by the safe word and froze before her nose could nuzzle Itachi's, her curls hiding their expressions as she met his eye, conveying what he needed to know.

_Akina was cracking._

* * *

"Well, I have to say, I'm kind of disappointed."

Hanging her head in shame, Akina remained on her knees on the cold floor, hair tied back so that she could continue to see her features.

"I'm sorry, Milady."

"You told me safe words wouldn't be necessary," she murmured, slowly pacing before the other woman, hand on her hip, other toying with a flogger. "That you could handle me."

Bravely, she lifted her head, saying, "I don't like sharing either."

Oh? Was that so? "Then what about our threesome, huh?"

Akina shook her head. "I don't know."

A small part of herself hoped she would change her mind about it, that she wouldn't want to have one. Being so intimate with Itachi was something she wouldn't be entirely comfortable with, although Sakura knew that it would also open that door for her for in the future, too.

If they had sex during the mission (even if it was while he was posing as a woman), then there was the potential of a higher success rate when attempting to seduce him further down the line. Perhaps it would even bring that line closer, allowing her to find out what she needed before the nine months were up. Sakura had to admit she would much rather seduce him and sleep with him as many times as she had to, than being forced to sleep with him to create a child (sure, it wouldn't happen, but the sex would be forced on both sides and much more traumatising). Eventually, the clan would question why she wasn't falling pregnant. They could even force her to undergo examinations.

Damn, they hadn't thought about that, had they?

Thinking about her own problems was a major no-no while on a mission, so Sakura shoved them to the back of her mind, focusing on Akina once more.

"Well, you have until the end of tonight to figure it out," she snapped, inwardly scolding herself for taking her annoyance out on her. That was not BDSM, was it? "Until then… I suppose I'd better find some way of punishing you for being so rude to my friend outside."

When interest sparked in her eyes and she shifted in her chair, Sakura's eyes narrowed fractionally.

"Although…"

She smirked at her despair.

"Punishing you is far too easy." Walking back to the chest of drawers, she dropped the flogger she'd been absentmindedly playing with, spinning on her heel to look down on her. "You'd enjoy it too much."

"What will you do, Milady?"

What would she do?

_What the hell was she going to do?_

Gods, Sakura wished she knew the answer to that question.

She approached Akina casually, sliding onto her lap in the same fashion she had Itachi only minutes ago. The contact bought her some time as she scrambled to think of an appropriate way to torment the woman, her fingers lacing through her hair and tipping her head back, the way her eyes widened, eyebrows puckering making her stomach flip-flop.

That look…

Sakura demanded herself to be stronger, to reel in her emotions _for good_ for what she was about to do.

Green eyes shut when she brought their faces closer, their noses brushing together.

"I think some classic conditioning is in order," she whispered. One of her hands disappeared from Akina's hair, reaching down and bringing her hand to her body. "Instead of punishing you, I'm going to reward you for standing your ground."

Akina pulled back, eyes searching her features warily. "R-Really?"

She smirked and tugged on her hair, yanking her head back. "That doesn't mean you can let your manners slip. You're still a worthless toy."

She wet her lips in anticipation, murmuring, "I'm sorry, Milady."

"Good girl," she whispered in her ear, smirk widening at the delicate shiver that took over her body. With gentleness that seemed to stun Akina, Sakura stood and pulled away, holding out her hand. "Come, Toy."

Nodding, Akina was quick to her feet and due to the brunette already being undressed, Sakura stood tall, taking a calming breath before relaxing her muscles.

"Undress me."

She tried to not think about the man who was watching behind the scenes as dainty hands slid over her skin, carefully untying her bra, soft lips pressing to her shoulders and back. Knowing that Itachi was somewhere in the shadows, _seeing _her nakedness, almost caused her stage fright, but she knew she had to remain strong. She had to successfully complete her mission, even if it cost her, her dignity.

A sigh left her when small arms circled around her midsection, slowly skimming upwards until Akina was cupping her breasts, kneading them with an experienced pressure.

"If I may, Milady…?"

Sakura shut her eyes. "Go ahead."

"Your body is perfect," complimented Akina and she trailed her hands down her curves, caressing them. "It's almost enough to make me envious."

Snorting, she glanced over her shoulder and raised an eyebrow, not for the first time noticing she had the height advantage. "Almost?"

She smiled somewhat shyly. "I try not to get caught up in envy."

"Jealousy is an ugly emotion."

It took more concentration than Sakura was ever willing to admit keeping her body from tensing when Akina's hands reached the waistband of her thong, teasing it for a few seconds.

"Do you decide on my reward, Milady?" she whispered and Sakura shut her eyes in response to the rush of gentle breath on her skin, unable to deny the goosebumps that covered her. "Or am I allowed input?"

Perhaps her idea hadn't been so wise after all? Not only was she experiencing positive reactions from Akina's ministrations, but Uchiha Itachi was watching and learning her weaknesses.

They were both her targets, yet Sakura was ashamed to admit that she was falling for the charms of Akina, her body relaxing even as her underwear was removed.

"What do you have in mind?"

Turning, her heart hammered away in her chest, though no nerves showed outwards as she accepted Akina's hand, allowing her to guide the way over to the bed.

"My mouth often gets me into trouble," she murmured and placed her lips to Sakura's clavicle, once more making her shut her eyes. "But I've been told it's also very skilled, Milady." Another kiss, this time, on her jaw. "Can I show you?"

Just when Akina dared to try and bring their lips together, she raised her hand, catching her face and stopping her a scant few millimetres away.

"This may be a reward, but that in no way makes you good enough to kiss me. You'd have to truly prove yourself for that honour."

"I'll do what I have to," she said with so much conviction that it was impossible to not believe her. "For now, however, can I show you what else I'm good at?"

To decline would only rouse suspicion, so Sakura allowed herself to be lowered to the bed, features composed in a calm mask of indifference when Akina began kissing her way down her body, small hands gentle as they coaxed her body into opening up for her.

"Have you ever been with a woman before?"

She smirked and looked down at the brunette. "If you want to ask me personal questions, it comes at a price."

Pausing on her stomach, Akina kneeled on the floor and pulled Sakura closer to the edge of the bed. "What price would that be?"

Feigning thoughtfulness for a moment, she hummed, assessing her aristocratic features. Unlike Akina, Sakura knew she was a good liar. The other woman was incapable of masking her expressions to the extent that she could, leaving her thoughts and intentions bare. She knew that Itachi would find it ridiculously easy to read her, especially if she herself did.

"How about a question for a question? Failure to answer truthfully will result in my leaving with the man at the bar."

She tensed at that, looking to her in disbelief. "That's a harsh punishment."

"In return," Sakura continued like she hadn't said a word. "If I fail to answer something adequately, I will allow you to do what you want with me."

"Even kiss you?"

Laughing, she muttered, "No chance. Like I said: you have to earn that." With a shrug, she relaxed further into the bed, breathing in deeply when Akina parted her thighs further, hooking them over her shoulders. "Perhaps if I'm happy with your answers, by the end of tonight I will allow it."

A smirk could be felt against her thigh and Sakura felt her muscles threatening to tense when she drew closer and closer, the feeling of her breath moistening her skin adding to Sakura's nerves.

"Have you ever been with a woman before, Milady?"

That one she could answer truthfully, so did so with a soft, "No."

The smirk widened and she shivered when her tongue ran along her inner thigh, so very close–

Sakura gasped, eyes closing.

"Trust me, Milady. You won't ever think of that man outside again once we're done here."

It was intense and in response to the suckling of her clitoris, Sakura's hands fisted in the bed sheets, back arching until her hips were bucking into Akina's eager mouth. She'd always assumed it would be awkward the first time she was pleasured in such a way, that she would need to be worked up more than what she had been, but that certainly wasn't the case with Akina. No, the woman had her quivering within minutes of starting, cheeks burning with her blush and chest heaving as she tried to control herself.

She shouldn't have due to the risk of her strength being revealed, but her hand swung downwards, gripping the back of Akina's hair and the rewarding moan she received for the harsh treatment had her reaching behind herself, grabbing the bed frame with a death grip.

They both nearly missed the groaning of the metal.

"You're strong," Akina murmured into her, the vibrations of her voice making her choke back a sob. "Just who are-"

"You had your question," she snapped in a low growl.

Her stomach was rippling – no, it felt better than that. It felt more like a spring within her, winding tighter and tighter and _tighter_ and all she needed was one more-

The single finger that slid within her, curling, was her undoing.

Careful hands struggled to keep her trembling thighs parted suddenly, but Sakura barely felt them being pinned to the bed.

She'd climaxed in the past – of course she had – but never had it been so intense before. It felt more like an explosion in her nerve endings that threatened to immobilise her permanently. Like the shaking would never end as she struggled to compose herself, lost entirely to the overwhelming bliss.

The crude woman's mouth and chin was both covered in her juices when she leaned over her, but Sakura found it wasn't as unappealing as it probably should have been. Glancing at her through squinting eyes, she swallowed hard, body finally calming itself.

"Was that satisfactory enough, Milady?"

Panting, she asked, "Is this your idea of a reward?"

She nodded happily, the sudden smile stunning her. "I want to bring immense pleasure to Milady. It sounds like a perfect reward to me."

Was that what BDSM was about?

Instead of pondering the thought further, Sakura sunk back into the bed, eyes shutting once more. Using the question she'd attempted to ask as inspiration, she asked, "You're not as strong as the rumours say," she murmured and forced herself onto her elbows, bringing their faces closer. "They're always talking about you around here, but you're not the same person right now."

Reaching out, she trailed her fingertips down Akina's body, watching the way she arched into her touch, eager to feel more of it. In response to her enthusiasm, Sakura sat up, yanking her onto her lap and coaxing her toned thighs to wrap around her. Once their bodies were flush, she ran her tongue up the length of her throat, green eyes gazing upwards when Akina's head fell back.

"Why do you seem like two different people?"

The question caused her pause, but Sakura dealt with that by lowering her mouth, hands gripping her ass and lifting Akina, bringing her breast to her lips. Arms wound around her, hands grabbing fistfuls of pink hair.

"I-It's easier," she mumbled, pausing again when Sakura took her breast into her mouth, sucking softly, allowing her teeth to graze her nipple. Restless hips shifted and she tightened her hold on Akina's ass in response, stilling her. "My brother and I have…" When she broke off into a moan, Sakura ceased all attentions, looking up at her questioningly. "We've a-always been… _close_, but people… They…"

She was struggling to answer not because of their proximity, but because it pained her.

Granting the woman a gentle kiss to her throat, she surmised, "You appeal to people more than your brother."

There was no verbal response. Just a nod.

"Your turn," Sakura whispered.

"Why aren't you a part of a village or group?"

Simple question. Simple answer. Resuming her ministrations, Sakura kept Akina distracted as she answered between kisses to her breasts, "My family arranged a marriage for me. I didn't agree and my reputation in the village was tarnished. People hated me for disobeying." Clutching at her lower back, she switched their positions following her down onto the bed, slinking her body over Akina's, whispering against her lips, "At least here I have the choice to do what or who I want."

"Freedom," she murmured with an air of melancholy. "You don't want to tie yourself down to anything."

"It's the best way to live."

The lie was bought without a shred of doubt.

Sakura sat up, no longer straddling her as she took a calf in each hand, manipulating her body to her will. "If your brother didn't need you to be the face of his organisation, would you join me in living freely?"

Much to her astonishment, the question brought forth a reaction she hadn't expected in the least: tears. The sight of her heartbreak made Sakura pause, releasing her legs to bring Akina back onto her lap, shushing and embracing her before she could even stop herself. It worked to her advantage, however, as Akina seemed to thrive under the comfort, soaking it in.

"I will never be free of him."

Conflict swirled within her mercilessly and she tried to block out the other woman's agony.

"He needs me too much."

Silently encouraging Akina to continue with her embrace, Sakura waited her out.

Several moments later, the brunette whispered, "I'm grateful for all his training – people wouldn't respect me half as much – but I'm tired of being the face of his crimes."

Green eyes shut, forehead pressing to Akina's shoulder.

_There_.

They had their information. They had the confession they needed.

Unlike the woman from the rumours, Akina was a gentle soul who'd been broken down and warped to fit into her brother's box. He controlled her through his abuse, probably both mental as well as physically and… Sakura _pitied_ her. She still couldn't understand why she enjoyed BDSM of all things, but she was fairly certain Akina sought out a constant string of lovers not because she was a nymphomaniac like people assumed. No, it was because she was lonely. She wanted companionship.

The fact that she'd cracked not during BDSM, but during a more tender, heartfelt moment, spoke volumes.

"Did you really mean it?" she questioned softly, voice unsteady. "If I could be free of him, I could live freely with you?"

Gods, she was the worst kind of person for giving a struggling woman a false sense of hope, but Sakura knew she still a mission to complete. She had thousands of lives depending on her – the entirety of Fire Country.

"Yes."

She peered down at her after pulling away a few inches, eyes searching Sakura's features. "An-And your friend? For the threesome…?"

All traces of her indecision vanished the second their gazes met. Considering she'd already admitted to never being with a woman before, she knew Itachi couldn't pose as one. Not if she was supposed to have been intimate with the third person already. "A remarkably wise man who showed me its possible to be free, no matter how bad things seem. He taught me to stand my ground."

Despite their earlier argument, Sakura knew she had to shove everything aside and ask for his input. Akina's semi-innocence put a kink in their original plans and she couldn't make such a dark decision alone. Killing her when all she wanted was to be free of her criminal brother, desperate for companionship in her lonely world…

"A man?" She paused, indecision and fear making her freeze until she shook her head, forcing herself out of it. "If he's as good as you claim, then I want to meet him," Akina said, smiling. "But first…"

Sakura allowed herself to smile when she was lowered to the bed again, legs being parted and held up in the air, breath catching when Akina placed herself at an angle over her heat, bringing their bodies together with delicious friction.

"I'll show you why women are so much better."

* * *

Everything about that night had thrown her off balance, so much so that she actually walked Akina back to her compound rather than remain at the club, giving her a meaningful look before turning and walking away. Itachi had lingered around the area, listening in on conversations, making her stomach tighten its uncomfortable knot when he confirmed Akina's story of abuse. He'd left when it started, her brother angry for her leaving the hideout.

When she left the shower clad in her pyjamas, she sat down on the edge of her bed, her positioning causing Itachi to lower his scroll and face her, waiting patiently.

But she couldn't look him in the eye, too ashamed of her shaky resolve. "She still has to die, doesn't she?"

"Her story appears true so far," Itachi informed her, equally quiet. It only made her wonder how severe the abuse had been, especially for him to have left almost immediately. "But unless we can assure the safety of Fire Country, then yes. She must die."

Sakura sighed, lowering her head. Hands gripping the edge of her bed, she tried to stay strong, tried to hide her weak heart, but it was impossible. She couldn't even feel ashamed of her enjoyment of that night and the pleasure she'd experienced, not when her heart continuously went out to the poor woman.

"If you are having second thoughts-"

"I'm not," Sakura assured him and finally met his questioning gaze, sighing again. "It's just sad."

Would he ask her about her experience that night? Would he ever bring it up? Honestly, Sakura hoped he wouldn't. It confused the hell out of her, for she'd always been so certain of her sexuality, so certain that her preference had always been men. But Akina messed that up, too. Or perhaps it was just that she'd never met a woman she felt attracted to before? She wasn't short on attractive friends, after all. All beautiful in their own individual ways. Hell, she'd even faked being in a relationship with Ino for the sake of a mission before, but nothing. She'd felt nothing other than stupidity – to the extent where they'd both erupted in giggles later that night, recalling how weird it'd felt.

"The threesome…"

"Is on," Sakura said. Rubbing her forehead, she added, "And as you probably already know: you'll be a man for it."

Silence.

Then, quietly, "We should go over rules to avoid overstepping any boundaries."

Yeah. They probably should. Biting her lip, she looked to him again. "Please, just… Whatever happens, don't forget this is my first time."

"It is mine, too."

And they were losing their virginities in a freaking threesome. It was enough to make her laugh. How many could honestly say that that was how they lost it?

The reminder of her orgasms that night had her assessing Itachi from beneath her lashes, the pressure no doubt weighing him down. After all, Akina kind of knew her body now. She would know if she was faking it. But… What if he couldn't do it? What if he couldn't make her orgasm? During a threesome, where there wasn't only one woman, but two, to please, was intense. If it truly was his first time, he wouldn't last all that long, either.

"Are you against anything?"

She'd been quiet for too long, Sakura realised. "Nothing I can think of right now, but still, we should probably have our own set of safe words." When he nodded, she added, "Something that Akina won't suspect, either."

"We could use movement instead," Itachi suggested. "Tonight, you…" _There_ was the blush she'd come to enjoy. Even in a moment such as the awkward one they were stuck in, even when she herself blushed at his next words, she found herself amused by his. "You were animated. If you were to pat a part of my body a certain number of times, it would not look out of place."

That was a good idea. "Five times. That way you'll know for sure."

He nodded once. "Would you prefer a second safe word or gesture?"

"We still need one for you."

"I will suggest we get sake."

That would fit, especially with it being in a club. Sakura nodded, accepting his safe word. "I think anything else will be too obvious." After his nod, she paused awkwardly, asking, "Did you see enough tonight to know a bit about my body? At least enough to make it believable we're not first time lovers?"

The thought of Itachi witnessing such a vulnerable moment was both uncomfortable and exciting, much to horror and she couldn't understand the conflicting emotions in the slightest.

"I believe so," he murmured, and she felt her cheeks colouring again when she met his eye. "You were especially responsive to neck and back kisses and at times, it appeared you required the aid of her fingers to reach orgasm."

The blush was never going to die down. As much as she tried to appear unaffected by such taboo subjects, she wasn't. At least, not when addressing her own experiences with someone else – when it was merely her likes and dislikes, then sure. She was okay with answering. But they were referencing her actions earlier that night. Much to her gratefulness, he didn't seem amused by her own embarrassment. That would have been too much for her.

"What about you?" Sakura asked in a pitiful attempt to take the attention away from herself. "Is there anything in particular I should pay extra attention to? Anything you don't like?"

It aggravated her when he sighed, admitting, "I don't know."

If he didn't know, he didn't know. She wasn't about to criticise the guy for having no meaningful past experiences – not when her only major one had been a handful of hours ago. Although it _did_ make it harder to pretend they were already lovers if she didn't know his body all that well.

"I know I can't tell you what to expect," Sakura began slowly and shuffled forward, causing their knees to bump together lightly until Itachi parted his legs further, allowing her more room as she kept hers closed. "But I think we should make a basic plan to follow, so that it doesn't seem like either of our first times."

Could he tell she was thinking more specifically of him? It didn't matter, because he asked, "What do you have in mind?"

It was nervously that she smiled, brushing her hair back. "Well, the average guy doesn't have the stamina to keep going during his first time. Everything's too overwhelming and he'll c-"

"Your point?"

Ah. She was rambling. "I think we should try oral, but make sure if you're close, you tell me. I'll…" Her blushed deepened and she could no longer look at him, though quickly looked somewhere else when her gaze automatically fell to his crotch. "I'll let you finish in my mouth, if you think you can pretend that you're not…?"

Thankfully, he didn't push her to finish her sentence, instead allowing it to trail off into silence. They remained that way for a few moments, his cheeks now as red as hers.

"And while I recover my stamina, I will-"

"I-I can…" Gods, she hoped he wouldn't ask how or why she knew such a jutsu, but… "I can keep you hard, even if you're not in the mood or lacking stamina. We just can't let Akina know that neither of us have any experience."

He didn't ask. Merely nodded. "That would be helpful. Thank you."

She shook her head, silently telling him not to thank her. "You'll still feel sensitive, so if it's too much stimulation for you, I recommend you focus on either myself or Akina until it returns to a more bearable feeling for you."

Fortunately, he didn't need to ask about Akina's likes and dislikes. He knew just as much as herself, considering he'd been watching their interactions. "It will probably be best to focus more on yourself than the target. She may have a fear of men."

Yes, Sakura was well aware of that. However, she'd seemed eager to meet the man who'd supposedly saved her and showed her a new way of life.

A pause.

"If it comes to actual penetration-"

"We're going to be having sex at some point, right?"

She was willing to admit that her earlier plan had been accepted reluctantly, but now she wasn't afraid to admit that she wasn't entirely against having sex with Itachi sooner rather than later. As she'd said: it stopped any traumatic experiences for when they were both forced to have sex for the sole purpose of creating children – it would soon become more traumatising when she would always receive negatives on tests, for they would have to keep trying, always feeling like failures, being forced to undergo examinations to find who the infertile one was…

While they would be having sex for the sake of a mission, it was so much different to the alternative.

"It could be good practice, right?" she asked teasingly.

"You don't believe that."

Part of her was horrified that he'd learned to read her expressions already, but she knew that sometimes, that would work to her advantage.

"But at least it won't be forced on us both for the sake of giving your clan their next heir," she told him honestly, leaning forward and meeting his eye again. "We'll have a vague idea of what the other likes, making it less traumatic, don't you think? It won't feel like a chore."

"Practice," he repeated, huffing with dry amusement.

She wanted a better understanding of him. What was he thinking in that moment? Was he scared? Unsure? Did he feel confident at all? Were there any aces up his sleeve that he'd surprise her with?

"If you believe we need to practice…" It stunned her when Itachi's hands came to either side of her thighs, caging her in and Sakura was ashamed of herself for leaning back, giving him ground as he lowered himself so that they were eye level. "Perhaps we should start tonight?"

He was toying with her, she noticed after a moment. If it weren't for the small show of playfulness in his eyes, then the fact his hands were positioned a careful, respectful distance from her legs, their bodies not even bordering on the threat of touching, told her that. He was trying tease her, to lighten the tension, all the while not wanting to push her too far.

He would regret his hesitation.

"Perhaps," she agreed softly and glanced up at him, making sure to do so appreciatively when she took in the sight of his body so close. "At least that way our first time will be out of the way and _ours_."

The words caused him to pause, meeting her gaze and she could read his uncertainty so clearly that it shocked her, because the show of emotion earlier that day had nothing on that moment. No, it made her realise that _that_ was the first time he'd expressed such honest, such open emotion. He really was considering it.

"It would make more sense," Itachi suggested, looking down to her lips.

Gods, what was he thinking? Was he being serious or playing her again? He seemed serious, but Sakura was well aware of who she was talking to. Uchiha Itachi, the man who had the perfect pokerface. Why would he suddenly be sharing so much with her unless it was to toy with her further?

"It would," she murmured. If he was toying with her, then she would go along with it and push it one step further. She would not be the first to back down. Itachi would not win. "We have the rest of the night to keep practising too."

It took way too much effort to remain in character when he leaned further forward, lowering her backwards until she was laying on the bed, staring up at him as he moved over her. Like moments before, however, he still wasn't touching her. He was keeping a careful distance between their bodies, straddling one of her thighs without making a connection. For some reason, it was maddening to her.

"Then what are we waiting for?"

Her heart was going crazy, Sakura realised. "You mean what are _you_ waiting for?" she questioned, swallowing. "You're the one initiating this. You're the one who won't touch me, despite the fact I've shown no signs of rejecting you or being against it."

She had him there. He knew she did.

"I suppose." The softly spoken words weren't what had her catching her breath. No, it was Itachi finally lowering himself on top of her, no longer straddling her, the feeling of his skin on hers, body pushing hers down into the bed, threatening to make her nerves show. "Is this okay with you, _Sakura?"_

Was it?

Staring up at him, her breathing grew shallow. His warmth was as intense as he was, the way he was-

A careful hand pressed beneath her chin and tipped her head back, causing their eyes to meet once more. Unlike earlier that evening, his were now their ordinary colour, although the word ordinary seemed grossly inadequate. There was nothing ordinary about Uchiha Itachi.

_No, he was _so_ not one-upping her!_

Smirking impishly, she parted her thighs, the invitation blatant when one leg hooked over his hip, the other foot stroking up his leg.

If he didn't respond to it, he lost.

If he did, then…

* * *

**A/N - Then...?**

**What do you think of Akina? And what do you think her fate should be? And what do you think of Itachi and Sakura in this chapter? Or her thoughts on how traumatic sex with Itachi could be?**

**I decided to upload this chapter because a few of you have very kindly messaged me asking how I'm doing and it honestly made my heart melt that you remembered the date my mum passed away. For those of you who don't know, it's tomorrow (24th), and to be completely honest, I'm not doing well. I'm really struggling. I'm trying my best to be strong for my son, but it's so hard. ****My mother-in-law's having him tomorrow and my partner's working from like 5pm-3am, so I'll be spending the first anniversary alone. When my brother-in-law and his boyfriend found out, they called me straight away and said they're more than happy to come over and be sad with me. They'll even bring Malibu (my favourite drink). But I don't know. I'm not sure whether I could really deal with having people over when I'm just gonna be sad the entire time.**

**Anyways! Just in case some of you haven't checked it out yet: I have a one-shot sequel for Saviour on my Ko-Fi!**


	12. They Don't Know What They Want

**Chapter 10 – They Don't Know What They Want**

"Well?" she asked huskily. "What do you say, _Itachi?"_

She was not foolish enough to not notice or deny the attraction she felt towards him. He was a beautiful man, receiving only the best genes and the intensity he never failed to display added to his charm, always keeping her captivated.

And unlike her vision of his empty gaze boring down on her…

The playfulness cracked, hinting at something that she had no hopes in understanding, but that wasn't too much of a surprise. Uchiha Itachi was a difficult man to understand.

"Teasing aside, are you sure this is what you want?" asked Itachi, voice taking on a much gentler tone as all pretences dropped. "To give yourself to me, right now?"

Who else would she give herself to?

As daunting as it was, or as sudden as it all felt, Sakura knew that deep down she would prefer to lose her virginity that night rather than tomorrow, with their target involved in some way or another and leaving an imprint on the memory. Was she one hundred percent ready for sex? No, but would she ever be, given their circumstances? Was she one hundred percent willing to confuse the hell out of herself by getting involved with BDSM with another woman? Definitely not. But she did it anyway.

"We're giving ourselves to each other – not just me to you," she eventually said to him, trying to smile. "Why should we start off our lives together by sharing such an important moment with a target?"

He merely nodded, accepting her words without adding any of his own and like that was his cue, he… got started, she supposed.

There were no explosions or fireworks when they kissed and Sakura was glad that she chose not to kiss Akina, because it became painfully obvious that it took her too long to get into the swing of things. Was it the same for Itachi? Could he feel that bubbling anxiety for what they were about to do? It was hard to tell.

He seemed sure of his movements when he settled himself fully against her, his hand trailing up her thigh in a slow, smooth glide. Did she seem sure when she ran her hands down his back, exploring the muscles that rippled beneath his shirt? She wasn't sure that she did. There was a faint shake to her hands that she had to fight to hide, whereas his were steady.

She was probably thinking too much into it all, but how could she not? Despite all she'd been doing the past couple of days (or in the past), having Itachi gently removing her clothes felt so foreign to her. It felt even weirder when she was the one taking over, undressing him.

Was it because they didn't know each other? Or was it because of their impending nuptials, knowing that whatever they were about to experience would most likely be it for their marriage? She supposed they were trying to make a good first impression, in a way. If it went badly, would it put a strain on them? Would it make future experiences awkward or unwanted?

Finally, she felt a pang of arousal when his thumb came to her chin, coaxing her mouth open and their tongues glided against the other's, the feeling of Itachi soon cradling her face, tipping it back to kiss her more deeply, eliciting a soft sigh from her. It was easier relaxing when he kissed her in such a sinful way and she enjoyed his quiet gasp when she caught his bottom lip between her teeth, meeting his gaze once she released it.

His eyes were anything but blank as he looked down at her, brushing a stray piece of hair from her forehead and for that, Sakura was grateful. It helped to banish the anxiety she'd experienced whenever she thought of their inevitable coupling.

Although it was clear he wasn't as experienced, she noticed that he'd definitely been taking notes from their mission, because Itachi steadily built her up from the spots that pleasured her most, making her dizzy with need when he switched things up by abandoning her clitoris and sliding two fingers deep inside of her. He didn't let her muffle her moan into his shoulder, pulling back slightly and leaving it to hang in the air between them, his dark gaze drinking in the sight of her panting and writhing almost hungrily, the arm by her head flexing in a way that aroused her further somehow, like he was holding himself back from ravaging her.

Even if she'd wanted to, Sakura didn't resist when her hand was pinned above her head, refusing to let her touch him like she'd tried to. She was too lost in the bliss, teetering on the edge. Her toes were curling, back arching, bottom lip caught between her teeth as she eagerly awaited her climax, the steady pumping of Itachi's fingers determined on driving her insane.

But then he was removing them altogether, making her cheeks burn hotter than ever when he coated his erection in her juices, her breath catching at the feeling of his blunt tip pressing to her opening.

"Look at me," he murmured softly.

She did as he ordered, swallowing at the show of tenderness on his blushing features. The connection almost broke when he slowly entered her in a single thrust, their respective expressions twisting with pleasure, eyes almost shutting, foreheads coming together.

It wasn't painful like she'd expected it to be, despite being stretched so much further than what his two fingers had done – although why she'd assumed such a thing, Sakura would never know, considering she _was_ a medic and knew that it wasn't actually supposed to hurt unless he didn't know what the hell he was doing and–

At the abrupt pace he suddenly set, the rapid thrusting of his hips, his quiet moan in her ear, she lost all coherent thoughts. She gripped at his body as he did hers, head thrown back as she allowed herself to get lost in the carnal bliss that returned tenfold. It left her a quivering mess against him – she didn't even realise he finished with her until she came down from her high, his shaking limbs, his composure's disappearance, leaving her to stare up at him in dazed awe.

It hadn't lasted long – she hadn't expected it to – but he'd taken her satisfaction into consideration and she was glad for that.

Their first time hadn't been anything like she'd imagined it to be. In fact, she found herself feeling pleasantly surprised by it all. Gods, she really did need to stop working herself up over everything in her life, didn't she? So far (aside from the very first meeting, where they'd _both_ been defensive and standoffish), Itachi had shown her nothing but kindness. Why would now be any different? When she'd already told him that it was a big deal to her? When he'd already discovered she was a hopeless romantic?

"Thank you," she mumbled shyly, gaze dropping to his chest.

His heart was still racing, she noticed with a small smile. She pressed a hand to his chest, fingers curling when Itachi shifted.

"Thank you," he repeated and returned her almost smile.

Why did he feel the need to thank her? She'd basically stayed on her back the whole time – he'd been the one in control, the one bringing _her_ pleasure.

Realising her grip on his hip was still strong, Sakura released him and relaxed further into the bed. She did her best not to focus on the stickiness between her thighs as Itachi settled down beside her, though she longed to get up and go shower. Would he be offended if she did?

Instead of doing so, she remained there for a couple of minutes before she remembered an important piece of information Ino had told her, leading her to sit up and hold the sheets to her chest, smiling shyly.

"I need to pee."

He merely nodded and she left without another word, sitting on the toilet until she felt the urge to relieve herself.

Before Ino had advised her to do so (if she ever happened to do the impossible and have sex, she'd added dryly), Sakura hadn't known that peeing after sex would help clear the urinary tract of foreign fluids that could potentially cause infections. And she was supposed to be a medic. Ridiculous, right?

She quickly washed herself before leaving the bathroom, pausing when she did.

Seeing Itachi lounging on her bed, with the sheets low on his hips, barely keeping him covered and showing his (what Ino affectionately called) happy trail, was one she'd never really thought she'd see. Sakura couldn't decide whether she liked it or not. While he was most definitely easy on the eyes, his body displaying the lifestyle he lived with its muscles and scars, it made her secret mission seem all the more real.

They'd just had sex.

She wasn't sure how to even feel about it.

On the one hand, it was over and done with. The next time would hopefully be easier. On the other hand, it was way too easy getting caught up in the moment. Like earlier that day, she gave in to the sensations, allowed them to take control of the situation. Hell, she hadn't been able to reciprocate his touches – he'd been in complete control the whole time. Did that make it a failure? Would she somehow have to train herself not to be affected by his touch? Would she even be able to seduce Uchiha Itachi?

When she'd rushed to the bathroom, she'd been quick in a stupidly childish attempt at not letting him see her body. Now, she was covered in a towel. Why did she feel the need to do that? They'd just had sex. He'd seen and touched most of her body and _she'd liked it._

His eyes were already on her, Sakura noticed and she bit her lip, eyeing her towel for a moment.

Then, she met his gaze once more and allowed it to fall to the floor, searching his expression and feeling part of herself sag with relief when she spotted the tell-tale signs of arousal. Hunger flashed through his eyes and she noticed his breathing grow shallow, but the most obvious sight was his growing erection as it demanded her attention.

Would he be able to go again so soon? Sakura found that she didn't feel sore – not really. If she wanted to, she could go again and even if it _had_ been sore down there, all she'd really need to do was send some healing chakra to the area. But like she'd said: it only hurt when they weren't doing it properly.

He met her at the end of the bed when she approached, but Sakura caught his hand when he moved to touch her, smirking.

"You had your turn," she said and her smirk widened when his blush returned. Slowly, her knees sunk into the mattress on each side of his thighs, straddling him and she whispered into his ear, "I want to satisfy you this time, _Itachi."_

She found that he was more than capable of going a second time when she spent what felt like forever working over his length with her mouth and hands, soon riding him for even longer – long enough for her to climax _twice_. It had hope blooming in her chest that perhaps tomorrow wouldn't be a failure, not when she discovered that he especially liked when she quickened the pace with her hand, tongue slowly swirling around his sensitive tip before flicking it experimentally. He also liked it when she used her strength to pin him beneath her with a single hand, grinding her way to completion for them both.

The third time Sakura found that she weirdly enjoyed having her hair pulled, their position of her on all fours with her chest forced down into the bed allowing Itachi to twist one arm behind her back, the harshness of their coupling causing the bed to creak and groan warningly, effectively covering their sounds of pleasure. Apparently, she enjoyed rougher sex, though she certainly didn't want to continue with BDSM after their mission.

By the fourth time, they were too tired to do anything more than rock together, their hips barely separating as they clung to one another. It had confusion swirling within her, because Sakura discovered that she also loved the tenderness of it all. She liked being held so close, so delicately until they climaxed for the final time that night, lips brushing absentmindedly, tongues briefly touching, shaking sighs and moans intermingling.

Frustratingly, she got carried away each and every time, but that was okay, Sakura decided as she rolled onto her stomach, smiling in thanks when the sheets were brought up to cover her.

_He did too._

As tired as she was, sleep would not come to her. She hoped that didn't mean their mission was making her an insomniac. Like she really needed that on top of all her other problems.

How long she lay there was a mystery to her, since Sakura tried not to count the passing minutes. It was long enough for Itachi to go and shower, however and when she sensed him hesitating after his return, she purposely shuffled to one side of her bed in a silent invitation that he accepted.

They needed to get used to sleeping next to one another, she told herself. Now that they had had sex, was there really any point in her having a separate bedroom to him? Although, if she did, what if a member of his clan decided to make a surprise visit and caught them in separate rooms? Would they be in trouble? Would she be allowed to pummel the intruder for the invasion of her privacy? And what about the sex? Would that become a regular thing or was it solely for the sake of the mission?

Sighing, she turned her head to the side, watching the figure beside her. Itachi was laying on his back with an arm beneath his head – she never saw him sleep in a different position. He didn't even move around in his sleep. Though, saying that, she could never tell the difference with him. Last night, she'd assumed he was asleep due to his even breathing and eyes being closed, but he'd in fact been awake. Had he even slept for the duration of their mission?

"Itachi? Are you awake?"

He didn't look at her. "Is something wrong?"

It didn't sound as though he'd been sleeping at all, so she didn't feel any guilt over possibly waking him. "Are you nervous?"

There was a pause and she felt him shift, head tilting in her direction. "About tomorrow?"

"No," she murmured, unable to speak any louder. "About getting married."

He hummed softly, thoughtfully, at that and she felt him move again, returning to looking up at the ceiling. "In some ways, yes."

At least she wasn't the only one. "Why?"

"You will be my wife," answered Itachi simply. "Although I have come to learn that you thrive best in your independence and dislike having that taken away from you, there are now many expectations of us – of me."

Well, he was certainly looking into it much deeper than she had. Her major concerns were the little things (in comparison to his worries, at least). "Like what?"

"For starters, the secrets we must keep, such as the façade of being happily married in the eyes of the village and the lies to our families regarding our obligations – to my clan especially." There was the sound of a sigh and she bit her lip, guilt blooming in her chest as she realised how much she'd been asking of Itachi. "I swore to you that I would do my utmost as heir of my clan to try and keep you an active kunoichi, but it will be one vote against many. Should my father oppose our wishes, then I would have to go against him. That is not taken lightly in my clan, Sakura."

What would happen if he did? Would it result in a fight? In further distance between Itachi and his clan? Would they leave him out of important meetings that she _had_ to know about, for the sake of her mission?

She was startled when tears filled her eyes and in a pitiful attempt to keep them from being noticed, she turned her head away, purposely wiping her eyes on the pillow as she did so, willing herself to continue breathing normally.

It would be imperative of her to discuss her worries with Tsunade, but what if worst came to worst and she had to step down? What if she had no other choice but to retire for the sake of not failing her mission? If it was simply paranoia and there were no talks of a coup d'état, she would never return to active duty since she'd be trapped in the marriage. She'd forever be retired, just as she'd forever remain his wife.

"I do not take defeat lightly," he informed her and she sensed him moving, making her stomach twist when she noticed him turning onto his side and facing her from the mirror at the bottom of the bed. It was almost amusing, for who would have thought that they'd just had sex considering the careful distance between their bodies? "I understand that you don't, either. So, we need to be prepared for a tiresome battle."

No, she needed to be prepared to give everything she'd worked for up for the sake of a mission.

But could she?

* * *

A sweet aroma awoke her hours later and Sakura stretched, appreciating the pops and cracks of her joints that informed her she'd been sleeping a while.

It didn't surprise her to find the other half of the bed vacant when her eyes eventually opened, for the food had to come from somewhere, though she did hope he managed to get a few hours of sleep.

By the time she was fully alert, the food was being served on the bedside table that was once more pulled to the centre of their beds. She quietly thanked Itachi for handing her a robe, allowing her a moment of privacy to cover herself. Again, Sakura couldn't understand why she felt it necessary not only because they'd had sex, but because of her mission as a whole.

"Did you sleep well?" she asked while they ate, trying to make conversation.

"Fairly," came his honest response. Looking up from his meal, he continued, saying, "You don't appear to move around as much when sharing a bed."

Probably because she'd been subconsciously worried about overstepping some kind of boundary. "I suppose that's a good thing, right?" He simply nodded. Lowering her chopsticks, she decided to take the risk and ask outright, "Would you be against sharing a bed from the night we're married?"

"Why the sudden change of heart?" he asked, not unkindly.

Sighing, she shoved aside her pride and need to be independent, deciding that it couldn't be all take, take, _take_ in their marriage. So far, Itachi had repeatedly stuck his neck on the line for her and was even willing to go up against his father if he disagreed with his decision of her remaining an active kunoichi. What exactly had she offered him in return? A few rounds of sex? It was hardly fair.

"Our conversation last night." Fiddling with the chopsticks, she dug around her bowl even though she knew it was impolite to do so. "Like you said: there's going to be a lot of expectations and so many lies that we have to keep up with. We can't risk someone spying on us and word getting back to your clan that we don't sleep in the same room."

He nodded, agreeing with her. "Thank you."

She didn't feel like teasing him about other benefits of their sharing a room. Perhaps unknowingly, Itachi had confirmed that it _was_ likely they'd be spied on at some point and it felt like more and more of her freedom was being stripped away from her. How much would that clan – would her mission – ask of her before she was utterly bare before them all, with absolutely nothing left?

Tucking her hair behind her ear, Sakura returned to silently eating her breakfast (although the clock told her it was way into the afternoon), only pausing to drink the glass of water Itachi had kindly poured for her.

She wondered if it was normal to feel so awkward after sex. Not uncomfortable, but something close to it, enough to put her on edge whenever they caught the other's eye. For all she'd boasted about being so secure in her sexuality, not caring if she seemed crude or unladylike, she'd never felt more unsure of herself or where they stood now.

Did she regret it? Not entirely, no. But she did have some doubts about it being too soon.

Had she lost any of his respect?

Sakura banished the foolish thought from her mind. Why should she have to worry about something like that when Itachi no doubt didn't care in the least? For men, having sex within weeks of knowing a person wasn't that big of a deal. Women, however, were branded as easy or whores. But like hell she would let him – or anyone – put such a label on her.

She asked, "Do you feel better prepared for tonight?"

Again, he nodded. "I ensured to take note of all your reactions last night and know what to do or avoid. I believe I have a reasonable idea of what you like best."

Trust Itachi to make it sound like nothing more than a project, she thought dryly. "So, we'll go with the original plan, then. I'll give you oral and sustain your erection after your orgasm – remember to give me fair warning." He nodded, showing that he was listening. "You should last for however long the threesome goes on for after that," Sakura told him. "And you didn't seem overly sensitive when we started another round, which is a bonus for you."

Like Itachi, Sakura felt more confident in her ability to satisfy him and make it appear as though they were long-time lovers. At some point during their practice session, they'd grown more comfortable and open in their experimentation – proven by the roughness of their third time and the fact she'd allowed him to restrain her, to _dominate_ her.

When he only nodded in response to her words, they finished their breakfast in silence, though Sakura found she didn't actually feel anything about it – about the silence, she meant. It didn't bother her in the slightest. If anything, she was grateful for it, as it gave her the time she needed to process everything and by process everything, what Sakura _really_ meant was that she continuously repeated the words 'they had had sex' in her head. It still felt so surreal.

Watching him from the corner of her eye as Itachi began tidying away their leftovers and dishes, Sakura shifted. She wondered if their night with Akina would be anything like the night before? Would she lose herself in the moment again? Could she prevent that at all?

"Have you decided what your disguise will be?"

He glanced at her from over his shoulder before resuming his task. "I will keep my body, though will hide any distinguishable marks." Like his ANBU tattoo, Sakura thought to herself. "For my features, however, I will most likely use the same henge as the night before."

While that _would_ be handy considering Akina had met that bland person, she believed the henge to be too boring. Knowing she would have to look the stranger in the eye while they were intimate wasn't a thought she enjoyed.

"Maybe something more attractive than that," suggested Sakura. Shuffling to the centre of her bed, she lowered herself onto her stomach, legs bending and feet raising into the air. "No offence, but the face you chose was kind of dull."

"I chose it due to how well it blended in," he reminded her. Once finished with his tidying, Itachi turned, though paused and part of her felt oddly victorious when his attention was immediately captured by her legs and the bobbing of her restless feet. "What do you have in mind?"

Oh? She had a say in the matter? "Try and look as much like yourself as you can."

"That is a dangerous game," he said. "There is the risk somebody will recognise me."

"I suppose."

"Are you pouting?" Itachi questioned.

"What?" she demanded shrilly, jumping to her knees in wide eyed shock. "No!"

He smirked. "And now you are blushing."

Was she? Sakura felt her cheeks, horrified to find that they _were_ warm. Gods, she…

_No! He couldn't take the control from her._

Dropping her hands to her robe, she teased the bow holding it together. "Okay, so I like the way you look," she murmured.

Sakura knew immediately she had the upper hand once more, Itachi's gaze fixated on the tie as she pulled on it, slowly causing the robe to fall open. It kept her breasts covered, but she knew he would be able to see the small patch of pink hair between her legs.

"Are you saying you'd prefer looking into another's eyes while having sex with me?" she questioned, gaze narrowing fractionally. "That you'd enjoy touching my body, but seeing someone completely different when you looked up?"

"Are you seducing me, Sakura?"

She smirked, heart in her throat. "Is it working?"

But instead of giving her the reaction she was hoping for (that blush of his, the shocking show of his prudish nature that caused him to look away), Itachi raised an eyebrow, smirking faintly. It seemed the night before had given him a boost in confidence in that area, taking away his shyness.

"What if it is?"

What, indeed.

The question caused her pause and she teased the collar of her robe, knowingly displaying a few more inches of skin to his eager eyes. Did she _want_ to seduce him in that moment? Even though it held no real purpose?

Huffing with amusement, she shouldered the robe back on, tightening the bow with an air of finality. "I suppose we'll have to wait until tonight to find out."

"Oh?"

"Mmhm. You'll just have to wait until we're with Akina – if you can handle sharing me, that is." She stood haughtily and began to make her way to the bathroom, her smirk only widening when Itachi caught her wrist, forcing her to face him. "What is it, _Itachi?"_

It both surprised and excited her when she felt herself being guided backwards until her back bumped into the wall, leaving her to stare up at his lidded eyes with barely contained awe – both at his reaction and her own, for who would have expected it? Certainly not her.

Apparently Itachi had left a lasting impression on her body the night before, because having him leaning so close to her, his teeth grazing on her earlobe, did strange things to her insides, putting her straight into the mood whereas the night before, it'd taken so long for that to happen. Was it because she knew what to expect from him now?

"Do not underestimate an Uchiha, _Sakura_," he warned in a soft murmur, the feeling of his breath washing over her skin making her knees feel weak. "While it may be necessary for the sake of the mission, I don't share."

"Even if we're not in love?" she questioned. Looking up at him from beneath her lashes when he pulled back, staring down at her with that maddening mask of his, she bit her lip, asking after a moment, "Are you against sharing me even if you don't hold any feelings for me?"

"Yes."

She smirked. "So you have a lot of pride, then."

It wasn't a question, but he answered it like it was, asking in return, "Would you like to be disrespected by your spouse in such a way?"

No, of course not. It was heartless and cruel and she couldn't think of a worse fate than being stuck in a loveless marriage with an unfaithful partner.

"Well, then," she said in a low purr, standing on her tiptoes to try and close the distance between their faces, dragging her lips up his throat until she reached his jaw. "It's a good thing I have no intentions of straying, isn't it? The question is–" His balance was knocked when she leapt up, forcing him to catch her as she wrapped her legs around his waist, bringing her back to the wall with a thud. "–will you?"

"You have my word as an Uchiha–"

"Drop the formalities," she ordered softly and nuzzled her nose to his, revelling in the way he accepted her affections so easily. Didn't he realise what was happening? He was Uchiha Itachi. Surely, he held some form of inkling? "Don't speak to me as a member of the Uchiha Clan, speak to me as Itachi, an ordinary man."

He was silenced for a few moments, gaze searching hers for the ill intentions she kept buried deep within her, refusing to let him see them. Instead, she waited patiently, reaching up to brush his ponytail off his shoulder before she was wrapping her arms around his neck.

"No," he stated, voice quiet. "I won't betray you."

_There_.

She was wriggling her way in.

Ignoring the pang of discomfort at the realisation (and the confusion that swept through her moments later, since it was her mission to win him over), she played with the hair at the nape of his neck, smiling faintly.

"We better get ready," she said.

He nodded wordlessly, letting her go.

* * *

Akina was already in the room when they arrived, surprising them both with already being naked and in her seat, waiting for them patiently.

"I brought sake, Milady," she informed them, head held high.

It seemed that despite her appearance and willingness to be naked before them, Akina was on guard due to Itachi's presence – it didn't worry Sakura, for she'd been expecting it. She would simply have to try and ease them into it somehow.

"This is my friend – you can call him Hajime," she instructed. Placing her hands to her hips, she continued to stand by the door, keeping her jacket on over her costume to show she was being serious. "Before we get started, I want to ask: are you sure about this?"

"Yes, Milady."

Refraining from narrowing her eyes on the calm woman, she tipped her chin in the direction of the sake, ordering, "Pour us sake, Toy."

Wordlessly, she did as ordered and once her back was turned, Sakura shared a glance with Itachi, who nodded ever so slightly once in response, already watching her.

It appeared he'd taken her words on board, for his eyes remained his own – in shape and colour – however, after that, there were no more familiarities. His hair was much shorter, resembling Sasuke's (if he happened to grow it out a few inches to keep it from standing up at the back), his cheekbones weren't as high as they usually were and his features weren't as sharp, lacking that aristocratic gene that seemed to run through the whole Uchiha Clan, but he still somehow exuded that proud aura of his, so if she somehow managed to lose track of who he was due to his henge, it would knock her back down a peg and remind her.

Turning to accept their glasses, Sakura watched Akina closely, challenging, "Safe words."

The response was swift. "Apples and sparks."

Nodding, she sipped at the sake, appreciating the fine taste. While drinking on missions was frowned upon, it wasn't as bad as long as they remained in control of themselves and didn't allow it to affect the mission. Confident in their abilities to remain professional, Sakura felt comfortable with the odd couple of glasses.

They had their plan. Should things turn out the way they expected them to, then once they had their answers, it would go one of two ways.

Handing her glass over to Itachi, she murmured to Akina, "Undress me."

It seemed only fair considering she was already naked and she felt no shame when the woman began undressing her, hands lingering in certain parts of her body as she removed the long jacket, leaving Sakura to stand in a lacy black matching set, complete with stockings, suspenders and pair of heels so high they'd had Itachi doing a double take when she first slipped them on.

"You look beautiful, Milady," Akina murmured the compliment, sounding in awe.

Her hands came to the swell of her own hips, accentuated by the belt for the suspenders. "Are you just going to stand there gawking?"

"I…"

Was she too uneasy due to Itachi's presence?

Refraining from frowning, Sakura took both Itachi's and Akina's hands, bringing them closer to her, allowing them to sandwich her in as she leaned back into Itachi's chest, the familiar feeling of his body easing nerves she hadn't realised she was experiencing.

"Look at me," she ordered softly and reached out, hand coming to Akina's face and cupping it in a gentle move that seemed to surprise her. "You're safe here. We're all friends. Nothing that you don't want to happen will happen, okay? Just remember your safe words and we'll know your limits."

She nodded.

Still holding Itachi's hand, she brought him to her side, offering a smile as she looked between the two.

Honestly, she was lost on how to get things started. In her mind, she'd felt as though she had the perfect plan and would know exactly what to do, but she hadn't considered _how_ to get to that stage. Jumping straight into giving Itachi oral was too much too soon, wasn't it? And how did she implement BDSM into it all?

She swallowed down the nerves. No matter what, she couldn't show them.

Recalling the jealousy that'd shown when she witnessed another receiving her attention, Sakura ordered, "Get in your chair and tie yourself up."

Nodding, she did as she was ordered to, surprising her briefly with how well she tied the knots for once. Instead of being so sloppy that they were easy to escape from (which Sakura had eventually started to suspect was on purpose, since it gave her a way to defend herself, should she have to), they were considerably tight – much tighter than she ever would have made them. They instantly turned her skin a surprising shade of red, spilling over the ropes until it looked as though they were swelling.

But she didn't comment on it, instead strutting her way over to the dresser and reaching straight for the vibrator and flogger.

When she turned to face the two once more, she ran it over the skin of her thighs, trailing it upwards and demanding their attention remain fixated on her. It did.

"Hajime isn't used to this lifestyle, just as you're not used to men or sharing," Sakura began and made her way over to the brunette. Slowly sinking to her knees, she stroked Akina's inner thighs with barely-there touches, watching from beneath her lashes as the woman squirmed in her place. "So we're all going to start off slowly."

Daringly, she brought the vibrator to her own mouth, lubricating it efficiently, never once breaking eye contact, all the while her other hand toyed with Akina, rubbing light circles on her clitoris.

"Do you remember what this does?" she asked.

She nodded quickly. "Yes, Milady."

"We're going to leave this on the middle setting," murmured Sakura and she lowered the vibrator, placing it to her opening. "To get you going."

Before she could reply, she was inserting it without warning, drinking in the sight of her expression as it contorted with surprised pleasure.

"Now, then," she said and stood, leaving a lingering touch on her thighs. Stepping back, Sakura faced Itachi, accepting the sake he handed to her. It was after a sip that she continued, saying, "Would you like the honours of turning our toy on, Hajime?"

He nodded and took the controls, assessing them for a single moment before they heard the faint sound of the vibrator, which was soon drowned out by Akina's quiet moan, her head falling forward.

"She hates not being the centre of attention," Sakura told him suddenly and smirking at Akina's widening eyes, she ran her free hand down his chest, stopping on the waistband of his pants. "But she has to earn her rewards." Looking over her shoulder at the other woman, she murmured, "Do you think you can handle another touching me? Watching them please me?"

The sake was taken from her, soon placed on the dresser and when Itachi approached, it was with confidence, his hands falling to her waist.

Did he feel nervous too? Sakura wondered if it was possible since he was, after all, Uchiha Itachi. But then again, he'd already shown a completely different side to him, one she had no idea even existed.

Reaching up, she eased him out of his jacket and shirt with tender touches, purposely showing extra affection when she noticed the reaction Akina gave. It seemed to aggravate her, her frown deepening when Sakura reached for his pants.

"You hate this, don't you?" Sakura questioned softly, sighing when Itachi began kissing her neck, cradling the back of her head to tip it further back and grant himself more access to her throat. Despite wanting to shut her eyes and relish in the contact, she kept her gaze locked on Akina's, raising a challenging eyebrow. "You hate seeing him touch me."

"I-I don't hate it, Milady."

"Oh?" She stroked her way across the waistband of his pants, easing them down, only pausing when Itachi knowingly suckled on the most sensitive part of her neck, causing her to gasp. "Careful, Hajime," she whispered and gently pulled his face away, smiling. "You know your kisses drive me crazy."

"I know," he replied with a smirk. "However, it seems your plaything wishes to know more about your body."

She glanced in the brunette's direction, taking in the shallow breathing and constant squirming of her hips. The look in her eyes wasn't angry like she'd been expecting it to be – no, it was filled with longing and a desperation to have more involvement.

Sakura smirked up at him. "You're sharing your secrets with her?"

"Of course," Itachi murmured and once more tipped her head back, making Akina suck in a sharp breath when their noses brushed. "I want you to enjoy yourself. If I must share my knowledge of your body, then so be it."

"Ah, but there's one thing she doesn't deserve."

His smirk returned, fingers tangling in her hair. "Aa."

The kiss was intensely sensual, their tongues joining almost immediately and leaving her almost melting into him. Sakura felt like she was losing herself to the sensations. He kissed her so deeply, so passionately, that she felt herself nearly forgetting about Akina entirely, the only thing keeping her grounded being her soft whimper.

"Only I have earned the right to kiss you," Itachi reminded her and brushed the hair off her face.

Sparing the brunette another glance, Sakura started kissing her way down Itachi's body, eliciting soft sighs and quiet moans when she finished undressing him, baring all of him to the other woman in the room. His erection stood proudly, demanding her attention and she gave him what he wanted, repeating the touches she'd discovered he'd liked the most the night before.

It didn't hurt when he grabbed her hair, guiding her mouth over his length. If anything, it increased her own pleasure and Sakura groaned, moving her head faster, causing Itachi's grip to tighten, his hiss of pleasure making her insides clench with need.

"M-Milady…"

With a long, tortuous pull, she allowed his erection to fall out of her mouth, asking, "What is it?"

"Please," she whispered and shifted, panting. Her hold on the back of the chair had her knuckles turning white. "I need…"

"Touch yourself," she ordered. "Touch yourself while watching me please Hajime."

She nodded, hand instantly going to her weeping centre, the quick, desperate circles indicating her excitement.

Sakura returned to Itachi's length, one hand settling at the bottom of his length as she set a more relaxed rhythm, noticing from the corner of her eye that Akina copied her pace. Keeping her eyes locked with the woman's, she relaxed her throat, going all the way to the base of his penis. Itachi's moan had her pressing her thighs together tightly and she reached up, not surprising him as she fondled his balls.

At one particularly insistent pull on her hair, Sakura prepared herself, though it wasn't until she glanced up at Itachi with her mouth once more pressing to the base of his throbbing penis that he finished, just barely managing to hide it from showing on his expression.

It didn't taste like much, she found, although there was a tang of something that she couldn't quite put her finger on. Ignoring it, she focused on making sure none of his semen showed, swallowing it discreetly. Once she felt him softening in her mouth, she set her chakra to work, bringing him back to life.

Akina's moans caught her attention and Sakura looked over to her once more, asking in a lower voice, "Did you like that?"

She nodded quickly, back arching.

Sakura pouted. "It looks like you're struggling there."

"Y-Yes, Milady."

Feeling dizzy with her own arousal, Sakura used Itachi to stabilise herself as she stood, wondering how the hell he'd even managed to remain standing himself.

Pressing a lingering kiss to his collarbone, she turned away, approaching Akina and making quick work of the ropes, only briefly worrying about the slight tears on her skin, ordering, "Get on the bed."

She did so eagerly and while watching her, Sakura accepted her sake gratefully, washing away the odd aftertaste of Itachi's semen.

"What do you think we should do with her, Hajime?" she questioned.

"I think you should bestow upon her your greatest gift and curse: your mouth."

"Careful," Sakura warned him and kissed his impish smirk away. "Or else I'll switch your positions."

Handing back the glass, she made her way over to her, silently warning herself to refrain from drinking any more of the sake. It was apparently much stronger than she'd originally suspected, leaving her to take more care in walking in her heels.

She reached out and yanked Akina's hips to the edge of the bed, once more lowering herself to her knees.

"Is this what you want?" she asked softly. "Do you want me to use my mouth?"

There was a pitiful whine and Akina threw her head back, the sound of the vibrator intensifying.

Chuckling, she murmured, "Hajime, don't be so cruel."

"Forgive me, my hand must have slipped."

Demandingly, she left her hips up in the air, bending at the waist as she kissed Akina's thighs soothingly, the path she created obvious to them all as she left little red splotches wherever she suckled on the woman's skin. The love-bites seemed to intensify the heightened pleasure she was already experiencing, for Akina's thighs trembled.

It was only when Sakura felt Itachi settling down behind her, hips just below hers, hands gently adjusting her position ever so slightly by spreading her legs wider, that she swept her tongue down the length of Akina's heat, the responding cry recreating the clenching of Sakura's inner muscles from moments before.

Itachi's hand came to her own heat, checking to see if she was ready and because she was (which seemed to surprise him, for he briefly paused when he felt how damp she was), he tugged her underwear to the side, slowly sinking her down on his length. She could only moan loudly against her skin, hands grasping at Akina's awaiting ones, surprising herself when she found that their fingers had entwined.

Meeting the brunette's gaze, she offered a smile, guessing that she was no doubt concerned. Given all that had happened to her previously, it was only to be expected that she assumed penetration by a man would cause pain. However, she couldn't have been more wrong in that moment. No, it was the exact opposite and Itachi's deep, long strokes were making it difficult to focus on her task at hand.

One of her hands left Akina's, parting her lips and granting herself easier access to her opening. She could both feel and hear the vibrator as it continued to add to her pleasure, even as she circled her tongue around her clitoris.

She pressed her forehead to Akina's thigh suddenly when Itachi's hand came down on her ass with more force than expected, eliciting pleasure that shocked her greatly. It seemed he hadn't meant for it to happen, for he then stroked the area comfortingly, silently apologising. But she wasn't complaining, and she showed him that when her back arched further, hips shifting against his when he pressed their bodies together once more, holding her in place. Similarly to the night before, she was in awe of how deep he felt, the fullness nearly overwhelming her.

At an insistent tug on her hair, she offered a shaky smile and returned to Akina, setting a more incessant pace with her tongue that had the woman's back arching off the bed. It provoked Sakura into pinning her hips, stroking them with her thumbs when her startled eyes met hers momentarily.

Her pace continued to quicken when Itachi's did, leaving her to moan and gasp against Akina's heat, her body shaking with each harsh thrust.

Once more, hands grabbed at hers, giving her gentle squeezes and she gratefully stopped focusing on satisfying Akina, instead allowing herself to succumb to the bliss that greeted her when Itachi grabbed her hips and pounded into her. It left her crying out, burying her face into Akina's thigh until he was reaching for her hair and pulling her back, granting the other woman with a full view of her ecstasy.

"Do you enjoy this?" he asked Akina. Vaguely, Sakura realised it was the first time he'd spoken with her so directly. "Seeing her so lost in her pleasure?"

"Y-Yes," she whimpered and she brought their joined hands to her centre, coaxing Sakura's hands into creating friction for her. "Please, don't stop."

"Not until I feel her-" His sentence was emphasised by a particularly harsh thrust that had Sakura's body jolting, scrambling for something to grab onto. "-coming undone around me."

"More friction," Akina encouraged. "Touch her."

Itachi scoffed, but Sakura couldn't find it in herself to be surprised by his sudden display of arrogance. No, she was stunned by the fact that he released her hair and reached around her, hand clutching her throat and yanking their bodies closer together, fingers flexing momentarily before he started applying pressure.

"I know exactly what she likes," he muttered into her ear, the constant thrusting of his hips leaving her a wanton mess. Gods, she couldn't even think clearly, only able to keep her lidded gaze locked with Akina's, hands clutching at her body to anchor herself to her. She could feel herself on the edge and knew that it would be a devastating orgasm. "Don't I?"

She could barely even nod.

His other hand came to her hip, the hold so strong she was certain it would leave bruises, but she didn't complain. It startled her how much she _liked it_.

"Let go of your plaything," he ordered in a breathless whisper, nipping at her ear. "Lest you wish to hurt her."

Reluctantly, she did so, giving herself to him entirely. She could feel her face flushing a faint shade of red in response to his grip on her throat, but she didn't want him to stop. Even though the shinobi in her would no doubt scream at her once she was able to think coherently, she just…

_Gods, don't stop!_

Akina sat up and knelt before her in the tiny space between Sakura's body and the bed, lowering her mouth to her breasts after tugging the bra down.

Her cry went up a pitch, body trembling.

"Come for us," ordered Itachi and he reached around her body, seeking out her clitoris to further stimulate her – like she even needed it. "I want to feel you dripping over my hard co-"

Her body went taught for all of two seconds before everything suddenly exploded within her and she was trembling all over, unable to control the movement of her limbs or her sharp cries. She was vaguely thankful for Itachi pinning her body to his, preventing her from accidentally grabbing Akina in her pitiful attempt to hold onto something.

Akina's eyes were intense with their awe and admiration for them both, but Sakura didn't care to see it. She was too wrapped up in the carnality of it all, the only thing keeping her from collapsing into a mess of shaking limbs being Itachi.

When she finally came down from her high, she felt such a strong aftermath that it left her hazy and in need of extra support, hands seeking Akina, feeling grateful when the woman allowed her to fall into her, nuzzling her throat and leaving soft, soothing kisses.

"You never fail to deliver," she murmured with a chuckle, glancing over her shoulder at Itachi.

Apparently, he was also lost in his bliss, although she could tell that he hadn't climaxed with her. It had her inwardly frowning, especially when his hands trembled faintly on her hips, his forehead coming to her shoulder.

Was he tired? Masking her worry and suspicion, she instructed, "Get me my drink."

He did so without complaint and noticing the slight tremble of his legs when he stood, Sakura's insides turned to ice. Even though he'd been vigorous moments ago, it didn't make up for the fact that he was fighting to remain composed. Something was up with him.

That thought was only confirmed when he handed her the glass, saying, "I will have to go and get more sake. It seems we have finished the bottle."

Already? They hadn't had that much, had they?

"Repeat last night," ordered Sakura, handing the glass of sake back to Itachi after she'd taken a hearty sip, chakra immediately setting to breaking it down as she settled herself back onto the bed, watching the woman expectantly. "Show him how good you are with that mouth of yours."

Two things quickly became apparent as Akina did as she was ordered.

The first was that the sake had been spiked, leading Sakura to hurl a pillow over at Itachi, stopping him from drinking more.

The second was that the woman before her, slobbering over her thighs, was not Akina.

No, the sensation was completely wrong. Unlike the day before, when Akina had clearly known what she was doing and immediately had her like putty in her hands, this person was a complete mess. Gods, how hadn't she noticed before?

Before the drug could take full effect, she lifted one of her legs and slammed it into the fake's shoulder, sending her flying back across the room and closer to Itachi, who rounded on them with his hand coming to their throat and sharingan activating, forcing the person to keep their gazes locked with his.

Grimacing as she fought through the dizziness, Sakura sat herself up. It felt as though she'd foolishly downed her way through several bottles of Tsunade's finest sake and the urge to throw up was overwhelming, leaving her to launch herself towards the waste basket near the door, emptying the contents of her stomach.

How long she was there for, she had no idea. It must have been a while, however, because Itachi was soon holding back her hair and rubbing her back.

"I sh-should've-" Vomiting once more broke off the sentence and she trembled. "-known."

"They were a convincing fake," was all he said in response.

While that was true, it didn't change the fact that Akina – the fake Akina, anyway – hadn't drunk even a fraction of the amount she had, instead taking a meagre sip before sitting down. It should have been obvious that something was up with the sake when it affected her a lot faster than Sakura thought possible. Assuming it was stronger stuff was so stupid of her, damn it!

Gods, she'd screwed up. Their mission was supposed to prove to Itachi that she was a capable kunoichi, that she could remain an active kunoichi. And she'd gone and messed it all up by falling for such an obvious attack. Even knowing that Itachi had drunk the sake too and hadn't been suspicious did little to ease her stress.

Then again, she was more than likely going to have to retire anyway–

No. She couldn't think that way.

She had to redeem herself.

Shutting her eyes, she pressed one hand to her stomach and one to Itachi's. The green glow of chakra was steady and determined as it invaded their bodies and worked tirelessly to break down the drug, the effects immediate as the haze lifted, taking the dizziness with it.

Sakura breathed out a sigh of release and dropped her head. "I'm sorry."

"You-"

"I'm a medic," she interrupted him seriously, frowning. "I'm trained to detect these kinds of things, but I got carried away and failed to see the signs."

Itachi sighed at that. "You are allowed to make mistakes, Sakura – as long as you learn from them, that is."

Still, she couldn't shake the horrible feeling in her gut and it only increased when she caught sight of the impostor. Instead of seeing Akina's body, she now saw a scrawny man's, the sight of his sightless brown eyes glued to them sickening her as she realised that the man had touched her and she'd touched him and–

"Oh, Gods," she whispered, horrified.

No. She couldn't let it get the best of her. Not yet. For now, she had a mission to complete.

"Akina is alive," Itachi told her.

But she shook her head, arguing, "It's not that. It's…" Sakura swallowed down the bile and felt an intense urge to cover herself when those dead eyes continued to bore into her. "It wasn't Akina and he…"

Knowing that a strange man had been disguised as Akina and touching her so intimately, had known of the things she'd done previously, mortified Sakura, even though she knew she had no room to complain since they'd been willing to do the same to the brunette.

"Are you-"

"No, we'll talk about it after," she said suddenly and met his eye, trying to block out the man's haunting gaze. "Right now, we have a mission to complete."

They were going to regret screwing with her.

* * *

**A/N - Can I please just start off by saying 39 reviews for last chapter?! That's insane. ****Thank you all so much for how kind you've all been to me and for showing me so much support. I really do appreciate the messages and I actually go choked up reading the messages. I haven't had the chance to reply to everyone just yet, but fingers crossed I will soon. For now, it's simply quicker replying like that, as I only really write nowadays during my son's naps.**

**It's also been crazy to hear that my stories have converted some into ItaSaku & ShisSaku fans - I never thought that would happen.**

**I did spend my mum's anniversary alone, but had people over a few days later for food, drinks and games. It did cheer me up quite a bit. I'm also now on a waiting list for bereavement counselling after a whole year of requesting it, so we'll see where that goes. I promise I'll keep you all updated.**

**Again, thank you all!**


	13. Oh, You Will See Me Thrive

**Chapter 11 – Oh, You Will See Me Thrive**

The door was ripped from its hinges the second she planted her foot on it, sending it careening to the other side of the room, becoming embedded in the wall.

It was furiously that she entered their hideout, the main room being a hall of sorts and she met the gazes of each of the lackeys coldly, her fists clenching when they stood up and drew their weapons. There were so many of them, but she refused to back down or show any indecisiveness.

The hideout was huge, housing the small army before her effortlessly and she calmly assessed the different exits and stability of the building for when the fighting began. With the number of pillars stationed around, she had plenty of spots to hide behind should she need some form of shield and it didn't appear as though the building would collapse if she took a couple of them out.

"You have something of mine," she muttered, attention retuning to them. "I want her back."

"What the hell are you talking about?" one of the pawns demanded.

"Who are you?"

"You-"

According to the information Itachi had extracted from the impostor: Akina was locked away somewhere in the hideout, although the specific location was unknown. Only her brother knew, so Sakura made the assumption that it would either be right under her nose, or close to him considering the abuse.

"Know that I'm not against taking you all out," Sakura said in a fair warning. She then brought her fist to the palm of her hand, the cracking of her knuckles threatening. "Either give her back to me or you're done for."

"Now, now," a new voice uttered and she glared up at the man standing on the balcony, staring down at the scene before him with a lidded gaze. "Akina does not belong to you."

There were mutters throughout the crowds of his minions, but not once did she look away from the monstrous man, her upper lip curling.

He didn't look like much, but to somebody who was constantly on the receiving end of his abuse, she supposed he _would_ look intimidating – the only reason why he didn't look such a way to her was because Sakura knew she could defend herself. Nobody could go up against her strength and she was not against dirty moves such as a sharp knee or shin to the groin, should they try anything with her. Hell, she was tempted to tear the whole goddamn thing off and leave him to bleed out.

"So you're the twin, huh?"

Narrowing her eyes fractionally, she pondered how she would go about her impromptu rescue mission.

Really, she should have abandoned Akina without a backwards glance. She should have turned her back on her and accepted that it couldn't be helped. But she couldn't do that. Not when she knew the woman was being used in such a horrific way, having her name dragged through the mud so that her disgusting twin brother could keep his own clean. He wanted to continue to look innocent, to have an escape should everything go south.

"The one who can't keep his hands to himself," she added coldly, expression darkening.

More chatter. It seemed to irk Akina's brother, whose gaze travelled throughout the crowd, scowling at the rising volume. Picking out snippets of their conversations wasn't impossible and Sakura wasn't surprised to find they were disgusted to discover how cruel their leader truly was. Even the lowest of low agreed that incest was gross, but to sexually abuse one's own relative was downright unforgivable.

"Please," he scoffed in response. "Do you really believe all that she told you?"

Yes. Without hesitation. There was no way somebody could fake such a tragic backstory, not while looking so terrified and lost and full of self-loathing, not when she had the bruises on such awkward parts of her body to prove it. Damn it, she was a medic. She _knew_ when an injury was self-inflicted and Akina's weren't.

While they were recovering from the drugged sake, Itachi had shared his findings with her, informing her of Akina's detainment after her brother had grown sick of her disappearing acts and disloyalty. It seemed the lackey sent to them held a greater standing than the ones surrounding her, for he'd known of the abuse. He'd known so much about Akina, though Itachi had told her he was a torture expert, meaning the man had extracted the information from her, learning all of Akina's mannerisms and her personality traits. It was why he'd been such a convincing fake, for there wasn't a piece of information that he didn't know.

They'd had two plans to choose from: infiltrate the enemy base as the man or go straight to them as herself.

Infiltrating as the man would have had its perks, sure. However, it would have required way too much time and energy. It was time they potentially didn't have to spare, as the more time that passed, the greater the danger Akina would be in. They had to get her out of there as quickly as possible.

Much to her happiness and surprise, Itachi had agreed with her.

"Where is she?" demanded Sakura coldly.

"You have–"

"I said–" Her foot connected with one of pillars supporting the balcony, causing it to crumble beneath the man who suddenly leapt from it and she heard many take uneasy steps back at her show of strength. "–_where is she?"_

His days of torturing his sister were over.

She would make damn sure of it.

The sudden presence of another appearing to her left had Sakura spinning on her heel, effortlessly dodging the kunai aimed for her throat.

"Leave while you still can, kunoichi," he muttered warningly. He came to a standstill, aiming the kunai at her face, but she stared him down unfalteringly. "You won't survive a battle against me."

There was nothing in their mission details stating that they had to hide Konoha's involvement – they wouldn't have to, considering Fire Country's daimyō was in danger.

So, Sakura released her henge, allowing her seal to stand out sharply against her skin, the recognition in the man's eyes making her smirk coldly at him.

"But what if I can't die in battle?" she questioned, tone soft. "What happens then?"

He was fast, she would give him that. Just when she swung for him, he sidestepped her, darting straight for the exit but just as he reached it, flames suddenly roared to life, trapping them all inside.

It was only then that Itachi revealed himself, his own henge no longer active as he looked down on the abuser with the indifferent stare she'd often pictured. His sharingan was activated and if that didn't tell them who they were dealing with, then the emblem on the back of his shirt sure did as Itachi slowly approached Sakura (Akina's twin had wisely put more distance between them upon recognising Itachi, no longer looking into his eyes).

"My partner asked you a question." When all that met him was unnerved silence, Itachi narrowed his eyes fractionally. "It would do you well not to anger her any more than what she already is."

Like that was even possible. Sakura could already feel herself growing angrier by the second. Her rage was fuelled by her desperation to end Akina's suffering, to set her free, to save their daimyō's life and the fate of Fire Country's. Having such a corrupt man in power when he would be capable of controlling even Konoha, couldn't happen.

"All this over Akina?"

"You bet your ass it is."

Blue eyes narrowed dangerously and he clutched his kunai tighter.

The original plan was to take the whole organisation down and that hadn't changed. Just because the rogue-nin working for Akina's twin were disgusted by his actions, it didn't change the fact that they'd willingly involved themselves in his plans. They knew exactly what they'd signed up for, going off what the Akina-impersonator was thinking. That meant, for the safety of Fire Country, they all had to die.

Glancing to the rogue-nin around her, Sakura narrowed her eyes fractionally, formulating a plan in her mind as she noticed many preparing themselves for battle.

Several of their chakra signatures stood out, telling her there were shinobi there who were at least b-ranked or higher – together, they would prove a challenge for her, but if she used her head, she would come out victorious.

There was also the issue as to whether he would let her fight the others, Sakura concluded when her gaze returned to the abusive twin. Would he run? Use her distraction to escape? What would happen to Akina if that happened?

They couldn't prioritise Akina's life over the mission, she scolded herself. As sad as it was to admit, even if she'd been an innocent civilian caught in the crossfire, they had to prioritise the mission since the whole of Fire Country depended on them. If they saved her life? Great. But they couldn't go out of their way to do so.

"I have a proposition for you," murmured Sakura, blatantly dismissing the lackeys surrounding them. "If you win, I'll leave without another word."

She could sense Itachi's curiosity and she was grateful that that was all it was. Having him trust her plan instead of questioning her in front of the enemy meant so much to her. He believed she knew what she was doing and could handle herself.

That was one of the biggest compliments a shinobi could receive from a superior.

"A bet?" he scoffed.

"You know of my shishou, right?" she questioned in a haughty manner. Hand coming to her hip, the other pointing to her seal with her thumb, she smirked. "She's the Godaime Hokage and I'm not ashamed to admit I followed closely in her footsteps of enjoying a bet or two, especially when the stakes are so high. It really gets my adrenaline pumping."

There were murmurs in the crowd and Sakura picked out her shishou's unfortunate nickname, The Legendary Sucker.

Inwardly, she smirked.

It seemed Akina's twin also knew of Tsunade's infamy, for he smirked. "And if you win?"

"I get Akina."

Hesitation.

It almost floored her.

And then…

"Fine," he agreed with a curt nod towards Itachi. "But this is one-on-one."

"Please," Sakura responded, scoffing. It didn't surprise her that he feared going against him, however a detached Uchiha Itachi was the least of his problems, especially considering she was out for blood and was taking all he'd done personally. "I can handle you by myself."

"Bring Akina down here," he ordered suddenly of one lackey, going on to tell him where she was. "Make it fast if you value your life."

"You want her to watch me kill you?" Sakura questioned with a snort. "That's fine by me."

Her determination to win their battle quadrupled when Akina was dragged to the hall stark naked, her eyes wide with terror and humiliation. Many fresh cuts and bruises marred her body, even as the brunette tried her utmost to conceal her shame with shaking limbs. The woman who'd appeared in the strip club was nowhere to be seen, her pride demolished, body damaged and dirty, mind broken.

Her fists shook.

"Y-You–" Akina whispered, horrified. "Why…?"

Narrowing her eyes, she set her deadly gaze on the brother, upper lip curling with a snarl.

"Harou, please–"

Haruo, huh?

"This kunoichi thinks she's going to win you, Akina," her brother, Harou, informed her, smirking nastily. "She seems to think she has a claim over you." The contempt in his blue eyes set Sakura on edge, the hairs on the back of her neck beginning to stand in response. "We know that's not true, don't we?"

Losing wasn't an option. Not when one look into his eyes told her of the torture he would inflict upon Akina for her intervention.

_She couldn't let that happen._

"Akina."

It seemed to startle Akina when she called her by her name instead of the word 'Toy' because immediately, she was looking to her, eyes wide in shock.

Sakura straightened up and stretched out her left arm across her chest, keeping it there with the aid of her right before swapping them over, though her eyes never left Harou's for a second, remaining locked and cold.

"I'm going to kill him regardless of your feelings."

Going off the shift in stance and his quick glance in his twin's direction, Sakura could tell she'd unsettled him with the coldness of her words.

Snarling, she shot off from her place, fist drawing back. "Don't look at her when you're fighting me."

Spinning when he did, she ducked, easily dodging his fist before striking with her own, eyes narrowing fractionally when he was startled by the force of her punch. While she missed him, the air distorted from her enhanced strength, threatening to knock him off balance.

"Monster strength," he muttered and leapt backwards, making sure to avoid close combat. His followers wisely backed away in response, giving them more room. "You really are Tsunade's apprentice."

Her upper lip curled. "Tsunade-_sama_."

His lips split into a malicious grin. "A woman doesn't deserve such a–"

She didn't even let him finish his sentence as she grabbed one of his lackeys and launched them at him, ignoring the yell of surprise, his weapons clattering on the cement floor.

Following right after the lackey, she tilted her head to the side, avoiding the sudden appearance of a katana.

"Don't try spouting that shit at me," she warned darkly, following closely whenever Harou tried to create more distance, refusing to give him a break as she threw relentless punches. Along the way, he dropped the katana, too focused on dodging. "Bigoted piece of–"

He whirled around, causing Sakura's eyes to widen when he reached for Akina.

Stooping to grab the discarded katana, she launched it where she predicted his hand to be in a second's time, her enhanced strength aiding the blade in travelling at a higher speed.

Within a second of throwing it, blood splattered across Akina's horrified features, the sound of Harou's hand falling to the ground with a sickening _thud_ silencing the hall of rogue-nin.

"Don't," Sakura muttered, trembling with her rage. "_Don't fucking touch her."_

It was obvious that if Harou's teeth and jaw weren't as tightly clenched as they appeared to be, he would have been screaming in agony and for that, a darker part of Sakura rejoiced, for it was the least he deserved after all he'd done.

"You may as well give up now," she warned. "You're going to bleed out in minutes."

"No, he–"

Sakura's eyes snapped to Akina's, only to widen in shock when she sensed the change in his chakra, the sudden green glow enveloping his severed wrist making her silently seethe.

"Living as a rogue-nin means you're limited when it comes to medical attention," Harou told her even though she hadn't asked. "I thought it prudent to teach myself medical ninjutsu."

Although it wasn't impossible to learn medical ninjutsu, the fact that he'd taught himself while living as a rogue-nin told Sakura he was a more troublesome opponent than she'd previously believed. Even having a woman who was renowned for her medical skills teaching her hadn't saved Sakura from the difficulties. Medical ninjutsu was hard to master.

_And he was healing himself without weaving any signs._

Green eyes narrowed.

What else was he hiding?

Was there something that kept Akina in line? Some kind of jutsu that forced her to stay, frightening her enough to endure the abuse?

Sensing the air shift behind her, Sakura spun, eyes going wide as sharp pains shot throughout her body.

She gritted her teeth, unable to keep the strangled scream back as her muscles were sent into spasms.

"_No–"_

Stupid lightning clone–

"When you encounter the kinds of shinobi I do on a daily basis, you tend to learn a thing or two, unlike you sheltered Konoha-nin."

Just as a hand reached for her throat through the clone, she managed to stumble backwards, gracelessly dodging the follow up attack. Her legs shook while tumbling out of the next attack, eyes squinting with concentration. The bursts of healing chakra shooting through her system was slow due to her predicament, but it was already getting easier to move around.

To prove that, she spun and dropped a hand to the floor, stunning Harou when a weakened kick still managed to send him careening across the hall, forced to stop by the interference of the wall.

_It was in the way anyway._

Creating a clone while he was stunned, Sakura had it launch her his way with enhanced strength, gritting her teeth while changing her position, leg straightening as she prepared to slam a foot into his chest.

_Show him what a _real_ kick would do to him!_

As she predicted he probably would, however, Harou was quick to vacate the area, just barely slipping from her reach.

But she made use of the destruction when the wall crumbled beneath her foot and revealed the outside world, grabbing the jagged pieces and using them as projectiles, forcing him to keep moving as she guessed where he'd go next. Her hands and arms moved with lightning speed, eyes darting around the area, purposely aiming some of the rubble at the lackeys who were too slow to realise what she was doing, even going as far as to add explosive tags to some of them. When they did realise, it was too late, for they were too distracted by the explosions and she shot off after Harou, chasing him as he tried evading her blows.

She reached into her pouch and grabbed several explosive kunai, sparing a glance in Itachi's direction to warn him about her plan. Only once he'd nodded and managed to snatch Akina from Harou's men's clutches did she act on her plan, launching the kunai.

Leaping backwards, she waited until the chaos went up a notch before summoning several clones and disguising them as his lackeys, having them mix in with them.

Due to the placement of the hideout, she'd kept the blasts to a minimum, knowing that anything too great would end in civilian casualty. But the building barely even quaked in response to all that was going on, telling her that it was no doubt protected by some kind of jutsu. Probably to help them all remain undetected.

Acting startled when Harou shot out from the smoke, she allowed his fingertips to graze her throat before smirking, the back of her hand connecting with his face with a satisfying _crack_. His men unwillingly caught him, his flailing limbs taking a number of them out.

Being electrocuted had definitely caused a much bigger impact than she'd originally believed, but she persevered, even as the drain of her attacks and clones tired her out further.

Reaching into her pouch as she awaited Harou's next move, she stole the quickest of glances around the room, nodding faintly to her clones and within seconds, they turned on the rogue-nin, cutting the strongest down with little issues, using the element of surprise to their advantage.

What did she have left? Fingers trailing over the contents of her pouch, Sakura bit the inside of her cheek. Twelve shuriken, two kunai and a handful of explosive tags. In other words: not enough to deal with the rogue-nin long distance – she would have no choice but to get close and personal. She–

Shit. He was on the move.

Shifting in her stance to distract the others as she slid a kunai up her sleeve, Sakura dashed forward, eyes narrowing.

If she was to defeat the rogue-nin in close combat, she had to end things with Harou quickly to preserve chakra.

Her gaze darted towards Itachi, narrowing pointedly during a spin to avoid Harou's striking foot.

He nudged Akina, chin tipping in a gesture to Sakura.

Fortunately for them, she wasn't slow in understanding what was being asked of her, despite Itachi's poor communication.

She didn't act immediately, much to her gratefulness, instead waiting for a bigger attack and sensing the building of Harou's chakra, she rushed forward a few steps, eyes wide with horror.

"Harou, please don't do this." Pretending to be suspicious, Sakura allowed her gaze to obviously move in Akina's direction, not missing Harou's cruel smirk. "_Sakura, look out!"_

Wait, she knew her name?

It was the perfect distraction and Sakura took a deep breath as she sent healing chakra to the spot she predicted he would hit, though there was no acting on her part as she was flung backwards with the force of the attack, the shock of lightning that shot through her body once more reducing her to a wreck of spasms as she tumbled and rolled further and further away.

Laying on her side in an awkward position, she sent Akina a weak, proud smirk before returning to her act of being harmed.

Feebly, she rolled onto her back, making a show of barely being able to move her limbs.

"You're strong," Harou complimented while heaving a sigh, taking in the sight of what was left of his men. "But Akina will always be mine."

Pretending to be dazed, Sakura waited until he was on her before swinging her legs up and wrapping them around his neck. The second he jolted upright, trying to distance himself from her, she used her core to lift herself and threw her weight forward, knocking him on his ass and using his momentum to bury the hidden kunai into his face.

It was without moving from her position that she glared at the undecided rogue-nin. Would they run? Avenge their fallen leader? It didn't matter. Their fate was already sealed the second they turned on Fire Country.

Fortunately for her, the explosions and clones had taken out a vast majority of them, targeting the strongest while they still possessed the element of surprise.

She stood silently, yanking the kunai out of Harou's face and slowly turning to face the rogue-nin, expression distant yet deadly.

"Don't try to run," she warned them all, making sure to meet the eyes of those who remained.

Sakura took a deep breath as they rushed her all at once, seal awakening and covering her body, automatically healing her of the wounds she'd sustained during the battle with Harou.

And then she proved to Uchiha Itachi that she was more than capable of remaining an active kunoichi, that he had nothing to worry about because she was good at what she did. Unlike other medics, she could fight on the front lines – a status only one other medic had managed to obtain. She'd _earned_ the respect and awe that followed her around whenever others spoke of her. She dragged her ass forward so that she could stand side-by-side with her teammates, a jinchūriki and a genius from the Uchiha Clan.

Catching the final rogue-nin by the throat, Sakura tipped her head back as she lifted him from the ground, only to release him a second later, ending his life with a well-executed roundhouse kick to the head.

On shaking legs, she straightened up, grinning tiredly and raising her fingers in a victory sign, chest heaving with her panting.

Akina reached her first, hesitantly standing before her, arms continuing to try and shield herself from their view.

Sakura smiled faintly and reached downwards, removing her sweatshirt without a moment of hesitation and easing it over the brunette's head. It didn't matter to her that she was left in a flimsy vest – they'd both seen her completely naked.

"Sorry," she murmured, surprising Akina with the tenderness of her movements. "I should have offered it to you before."

"Are you insane?" she demanded in return, releasing a breathy chuckle. "You were a little preoccupied, Milady."

Milady–

There was no stopping her blush and Sakura stepped to the side a little, hiding her expression from Itachi. She tilted her head with deep intent, eyes gesturing towards him.

"Call me Sakura. Please."

The other woman glanced in Itachi's direction, blushing faintly. "I-I take it he's…?"

Deciding that they _shouldn't_ head in that direction, Sakura raised her hands, the green glow of chakra putting Akina at ease as she nodded her consent, allowing herself to be healed.

The wounds she suffered sickened Sakura, but she made no comment about them, instead ensuring she wasn't even bruised or tender anywhere once she was finished with her, allowing Akina to breathe easy.

"What now?" she asked after a few moments of silence, the steady flow of chakra disappearing. "I take it you're not going to kill me since you just healed me."

She looked to Itachi, frowning. "We saw enough to understand that you had no part in any of this," Sakura told Akina, returning her gaze to her. "Without the evidence we obtained, at the very least, you would have been detained in Konoha and interrogated." At the uncertainty in her gaze, she smiled softly, assuring her, "But you've been through enough. By all means, return to Konoha with us and I'll stand by your side if you want to apply for citizenship."

But surprising them both greatly, Akina shook her head with a slowly growing smile. "This has been my life for as long as I can remember, but thanks to you, I'm free now."

_That_ was one of many reasons why she loved being a shinobi. The look of gratefulness, of sweet relief, of _happiness_. Knowing that she'd truly changed Akina's life for the better, granting her the one thing all should already have, had her grinning happily, taking the brunette's breath away.

"Thank you, Sakura," she said meaningfully.

The grin faded, though the happiness didn't leave her eyes, instead warming further. "What will you do now?"

She shrugged carelessly, smiling again. "I have always wanted to travel and Harou hoarded money like we would one day lose it all, so I'm all set for at least a few years."

Even with money (_especially_ with money), travelling was dangerous. There were so many thugs and monsters lurking out there, waiting for an opportunity to strike and–

And Akina was a grown woman who wasn't wholly defenceless.

"What about you?" she asked after a moment. "What about everyone here?"

"We will destroy all evidence," stated Itachi. Up until that moment, he'd remained silent, giving them the chance to speak to one another, to say their goodbyes. "Then we will report to the Hokage."

_Goodbye_…

Shutting her eyes for a moment, she sighed. "Stay out of trouble," ordered Sakura coolly. Reopening her eyes, she regarded Akina with a glint that had her straightening, blue eyes sparking with excitement and the need to please her. "Don't make me come looking for you. I'm sure you don't need a reminder of what I'm capable of."

Akina nodded, swallowing.

And then she surprised them both by closing the distance between them, embracing her tenderly for a moment before pulling back, admiring the flush on Akina's stunned features. Smiling, Sakura stroked her cheek, though took the other woman's breath away by claiming her lips in a slow, chaste kiss.

It didn't feel like when she kissed Itachi, although that didn't mean she didn't like the feeling of their lips brushing together. Unlike her kisses with Itachi, she took complete control, setting the pressure, allowing herself to savour the tender moment.

When she pulled away, Akina watched her in a daze, hand slowly coming to her lips.

Sakura smiled again. "Be safe, Akina."

* * *

"You did well."

She tilted her head in Itachi's direction, observing him silently as they approached the entrance to Konoha. He'd been quiet for most of the journey home, but she hadn't thought to question it. After all, he had much to consider.

Just as he opened his mouth to continue, she forced them to come to a halt. "I don't want to hear your decision yet," she informed him. "If you say yes or no now, then it's going to be in the heat of the moment."

His mouth shut and she was pleasantly surprised to find that he showed her his own surprise at her words. No doubt he'd been expecting her demands to hear his decision immediately after the battle, but while it'd been a couple of days since they successfully completed their mission, Sakura knew it was way too soon for it to be a well thought out decision.

"I want sound reasons. If you say no, I want to know why and where I messed up. If you say yes, I still want to know if there was anything you think I could have done differently. I want to keep improving, no matter what." Taking a step back, she smiled warmly. "I really enjoyed working with you."

The corners of his lips lifted momentarily and she felt her face threatening to redden at the knowing look in his eyes. "Likewise."

"We can meet up later to go over our report," she informed him and turned away, rolling her shoulders and stretching out her arms. "But for now you're going to have to excuse me. I need a hot bath."

…And to try out the new toys she'd swiped from Akina's playroom before they'd left.

But he didn't need to know that.

Smirking, she waved over her shoulder, relishing in the blush that stained his cheeks when she said in a louder voice for all to hear, "Later, lover."

* * *

**A/N - Okay so for this chapter, I had That's My Girl stuck in my head, so I kinda had it on repeat the whole time.**


	14. I Won't Just Conform

**Chapter 12 – I Won't Just Conform**

_Holy fucking shit it–_

Slapping a hand over her mouth to try and stay silent as her legs quivered and walls fluttered around the toy she'd mercilessly teased Akina with, Sakura shook against the headboard of her bed, hips bucking into her hand.

That was intense. So painfully, beautifully intense.

Looking down at the toy with wide eyes, she saw it in a completely new light, admiring it.

She–

Damn. It was just _so_…

There were no words.

There was also no time, she realised, euphoria draining rapidly from her. Already, she was ten minutes late for her meeting with Itachi. Fortunately for her, she'd gotten in the bath within minutes of being home, chomping her way through a nutritious bar afterwards to get her through until dinner. From there, curiosity had gotten the best of her after going through her bag and she'd decided to hell with it.

_She shouldn't have, damn it!_

Throwing on the dress she'd chosen before her bath, Sakura made quick work of applying a small amount of makeup, thanking the gods for having mercy on her and making her hair easy to work with for once.

Still, she wasn't quick enough because as soon as she darted from her home, she ran straight into Itachi at the bottom of the stairs, who seemed unimpressed to say the least.

She smiled sheepishly. "Sorry. I lost track of time."

There was no outward reaction, his eyes remaining locked on hers until they drifted downwards a couple of inches, making her swallow hard.

"I can tell."

Was she still…? Sakura's heart skipped a beat in fear as she felt her raging cheeks, soon hiding them from view.

Then, he smirked. "Had I known you needed assistance–"

_No way was he was gaining the upper hand!_

"Who says I still don't?" she questioned, continuing to maintain her bashfulness, although it grew to be more of an act the longer their conversation went on. "Who says I didn't stop when I realised the time?"

"Did you?"

Breathing became difficult when she was swept away from the curious stares of the villagers, whisked away to–

Her eyes widened when her back hit the softness of her own bed, the scent of the washing detergent her mother adored suddenly overpowering.

How the hell had Itachi managed to enter her parents' apartment? She'd set traps – layers upon layers of traps. The genjutsu traps, she got. Trying to trick an Uchiha (let alone the prodigy of the Uchiha Clan) was ludicrous, but _still_ her others were pretty damn impressive! Both Naruto and Sasuke had struggled immensely when she'd asked their team to test them out and they'd even caused Kakashi to pause and take several moments to bypass them. And most importantly she _could tell_ they'd tampered with the traps.

But Itachi managed to squeeze through them undetected.

His abilities were enough to knock the playfulness straight out of her, because what the hell was she thinking going up against someone of his calibre? How was she supposed to trick him when he was that fucking talented?

Trembling fingers clutched at his biceps, green eyes glued to the ceiling of her bedroom while he pressed a single kiss to her neck, unable to so much as blink as fear blanketed over her.

_Somebody like Kakashi, who was Hokage level, hadn't remained wholly undetected._

How powerful was he? How was he more powerful than Kakashi – his superior, in a sense?

What if she couldn't convince him to side with Konoha rather than his clan? What if he sniffed out that she was a rat? What would happen to her? No, what would happen to Konoha?

Scarier yet…

How powerful were his clansmen? If they were at even half his strength…

"Sakura."

Gods, she hadn't even realised he'd pulled back, staring down at her with a brow that was slowly wrinkling.

"S-Sorry."

It wasn't like he'd threatened her, yet…

Sakura looked down at her trembling hands as he detangled himself from her, allowing her to sit up in her own time.

_Why couldn't she stop shaking?_

It was because she was seriously out of her depth. Itachi was on a whole other level and she'd foolishly bulldozed her way into her mission without a second thought. She should have had backup plans for her backup plans, but because of her overconfidence, she'd entered her secret mission with one thought in mind: trick Itachi into falling in love with her. That was more or less it.

_Fuck._

"What is it?"

What was she supposed to tell him? There was no use in trying to lie in that moment – her fear was written all over her body, never mind her face. If she lied, he would know. If she told the truth, he would grow suspicious. Which one was worse, however?

_What did she do? She–_

She calmed the hell down – that would be a start.

Breathing out deeply, Sakura gradually closed her hands into fists, finally tearing her gaze from them to meet Itachi's eye. He wasn't showing much, if anything and while it irked her just as it most likely always would, she took comfort in it. It aided her in sucking in some of his strength, preparing herself for the half-truth she was about to share.

"You know…" Frowning, she held his gaze, watching him closely as he settled himself back on his haunches, hands rested on his thighs. "You ever get that slight bloom of panic in your chest when control is stripped from you?"

His eyes shut. "Forgive me. I did not mean to overstep any boundaries–"

"No, no. It's not that. Not entirely."

There was no vocal response. She had to take the reopening of his eyes as a push to continue.

"You…" She smiled nervously, shaking her head. "I've been working on the traps around the apartment for years, to the extent where even Kakashi-sensei struggled with them when he first came by here – and I make sure to tweak them often, too. Every time he encounters a new trap, he has to take an extra second to think about it."

Itachi's lips parted slightly.

"You see, I set them out kind of like a spider's web – the tiniest of movements in one trap alerts me somebody's trying to get in, even if it's just the slightest of movements and that, in turn, sets every trap I created off. Yet… Yet you just bypassed them all without so much as a vibration in the web."

"It unsettled you," he surmised.

More like scared the shit out of her. "Yeah."

Itachi lowered his head in a minute bow. "Then my apology remains. I apologise from unsettling you, Sakura."

"Honestly, you don't–"

Their conversation was interrupted by the presence of another appearing on her balcony, the stirrings in her chakra informing her who it was. In the guise of remaining undetected, however, she acted as though there was a disturbance (murmuring to him it was her peeping tom trap, seeing as she only had sheer curtains covering her glass doors), approaching her balcony suspiciously.

Then, she smiled widely upon seeing the large cat resting on the ledge of her balcony, rubbing his head on the wall.

"Kyo," she greeted, flinging the doors open to allow him entry. "I was wondering where you were."

"He looks much healthier already," complimented Itachi. Shifting to the edge of her bed, he held out his hand, eyes warming ever so slightly when Kyo headbutted the outstretched hand. "And happier."

Well, she couldn't take all the credit there, considering her mother had been watching him for the majority of his time with her.

"I hope Mom took good care of you," she said and crouched. Immediately, he strutted over to her, stretching languorously on his way, claws digging into the wooden floorboards without a care. Sakura took that as a sign of rebellion, especially when coupled when his mental huff. "Let me guess: Dad was an ass?"

It was way too easy getting lost in their chakra connection, so Sakura mentally apologised to her companion and hoped the feelings reached him, before swiftly changing the subject. Bringing Kyo close to her chest, she returned to the bed, settling him down between them, though she couldn't help her pause when she spotted Itachi's somewhat curious gaze drifting around her room, like he was only just realising where he'd taken them.

In a way, it kind of conflicted with her personality, she supposed. Since their first meeting, Sakura was well aware of how she presented herself: strong and assertive, welcoming in terms of her sexuality and sensuality and as professional as she could be. Yet her room spoke of a different side to her, with messy piles of books and scrolls plaguing her desk, her uniform she'd worn while returning to the village strewn across the floor, pack thrown thoughtlessly on the chair at her desk, its contents threatening to fall out as it balanced precariously. The girly wallpaper from her childhood, alongside several teddy bears she'd yet to give up. The–

Sakura smirked, looking back to Itachi when she noticed the clenching of his jaw from her peripheral.

She lay back in her bed, Kyo immediately taking up a spot beside her until he decided he wished to rest on the pillow with her, his head inches from hers.

"What's wrong, Itachi?" asked Sakura playfully, knowing damn well what his issue was.

"Are you always this disorganised?"

Her smirk threatened to widen, but she hid it with the biting of her lip, focusing on stroking Kyo's head. "I have no idea what you mean."

"This–" He gestured to the bedroom before standing, heading over to the desk. "This alone is absurd – no." Dark eyes trailed to the dirty laundry, then to the basket. "You couldn't have walked three steps to the hamper?"

Was it getting under his skin?

She looked to him from beneath her lashes. "I was preoccupied."

It was only then that he noticed the discarded toy on the bottom of her bed, mere inches from where he'd been sitting.

But just as he moved to grab it, Sakura smiled sheepishly and stood, hiding it from view. "You can't touch it."

"That was Akina-san's, was it not?"

"Yes – you still can't touch it."

He started advancing on her. "Why not?"

"I used it and didn't have time to clean it."

A pause.

He stopped walking altogether.

"Our original plan for the day after reporting to Hokage-sama will have to wait. I believe we have more important matters to tend to."

With the risk of her parents hearing them? Her father was out at that moment in time, but her mother was in the process of cooking dinner. If she heard them–

Her cheeks raged as Sakura realised belatedly that a swell of warmth had filled her stomach, slowly travelling downwards.

"Your room is abominable," he said the last thing she would have predicted, making her feel like a shameless pervert. "We will tidy it."

Tidy–

She looked around her room and couldn't really see much of an issue. She knew exactly where everything was. The generous stacks of money she'd earned during the mission as a stripper were stuffed between her mattress and divan. Her spare weapons were in a box in her closet, beneath her – yes, unwound and unfolded – bindings. If she wanted a textbook on poisons, then it was the third from the top in middle of the unstable piles on her desk. Her fresh clothes were in the hamper (her mother having washed them while she was away on a mission), hence why her dirty clothes were left on the ground.

"What else did you have in mind?" Sakura asked, hopeful that she could sway his mind from tidying her room. The last thing she wanted was Uchiha Itachi going through her stuff. "For our original plan, I mean?"

"We were going to train–"

"Training?" she questioned with a pout. "But we just returned."

"Forgive me," he murmured. "I was under the impression that you were serious about remaining an active kunoichi."

_Damn_, she thought with a mental sweat. It seemed her messiness had knocked all playfulness out of him, leaving Itachi to revert back to the stoic perfectionist that he was when they first met.

"You know I am," argued Sakura calmly, tossing the toy back onto the bed. Seeing that it captured his attention, she approached him, turning his head slightly so that he would look at her instead. "But… We've just spent a whole week being serious and on edge. Wouldn't you like to relax for a day before going back to training or missions?" Smiling hopefully and placing a hand delicately on his chest, she added, "You can't fight to the best of your ability if you're stressed and overworking yourself."

"On the contrary," he argued with the same calm tone, proving her original suspicion of his being easily seduced correct: it would never happen. "I believe it to be best to train once you return from a mission, when it is all fresh in your mind."

She raised a challenging eyebrow and smirked again. "Does that really count with the sharingan and its photographic memory?"

"Yes."

Her sigh was heavy and tired. "Look, I know my abilities and what works best–"

"_Sakura?"_ came her mother's unsure voice through the door, making her tense up and grab Itachi, entertaining the idea of tossing him off her balcony to save being caught. _"I thought you left already? Who is in there with you?"_

Shit. "A-Ah, no-one," she lied terribly, as she always had done with her parents. It seemed to amuse Itachi, his seriousness cracking and allowing the playfulness to return. The sight of it had her stomach in knots. "I'm just talking to myself."

If they were caught together in her bedroom, then her parents would believe what they'd done was okay. That she was suddenly okay with marrying Itachi.

"_Don't lie to me, Sakura."_

She cursed under her breath and slowly began backing Itachi up to the balcony doors, worried that her mother had suddenly obtained the byakugan and could see them through the wall. "Kyo's in here with me–"

There was a warning growl. "_Sakura_–"

And even though he'd slipped through her traps undetected, Itachi stilled when the bedroom door swung open, her mother barging in without permission.

"You're getting married, Sakura. Don't disrespect your future husband by sneaking around with – o-oh, I-Itachi-san."

_Kyo,_ Sakura mentally begged, though didn't look in the direction of her bed. _Hide it._

Without attracting too much attention, she saw Kyo languorously stretch and roll over onto his other side, covering her toy without hesitation or issue.

She shut her eyes and sighed.

_Thank you._

"Forgive me for the intrusion, Haruno-san," he said politely, head bowing. "My clan and I decided that it would be beneficial if I started training Sakura. I didn't think twice to teleport myself to where she was. I apologise for the impropriety."

"S-Sakura?"

A blush threatened to fill her features and she looked up at Itachi with angry accusations, her back now turned to her mother. Belatedly, she realised she was still holding onto him and quickly let go like she'd been burned.

"We thought it prudent to try and get to know one another on a more personal level leading up to our wedding, that way living together will be less of a shock."

She could _sense_ her mother's disbelief, especially when she spoke again, her voice the perfect personification of a deadpan as she muttered, "After showing you her messy bedroom, I assure you nothing else will come as a shock to you, Itachi-san."

"I certainly have my work cut out for me."

Sakura also deadpanned and she knew it was a flawless replica of her mother's, because Itachi briefly looked between them, looking vaguely impressed. "I'll make your life a messy hell if you badmouth me in front of my mother."

Hope was all over Mebuki's face when she risked a glance over at her, the sight of it causing the irritation and betrayal to return at full force. Playful deadpan vanishing abruptly, she just barely held back the urge to glare at the older woman, because like hell she would ever let her parents think they'd done something good by stripping her of her freedom.

"Please, don't mind her mood swings, Itachi-san. They tend to have little effect after a while," said her mother, shooting a pointed glare in her direction like she was trying to make her fall into line. "Would you like to stay for dinner? We're having shrimp tempura with a couple of sides."

By 'a couple of sides' her mother really meant a miniature, completely unnecessary feast that none of them actually finished, leaving leftovers to last for up to a week. In a way, she supposed it was a great idea of preparing meals for the rest of the week in case they were feeling lazy or wanted to grab something and go (which was something she did often when rushing to a shift at the hospital), but it was never planned to be that way, therefore it didn't count. Her mother genuinely had no concept of portion control. Had it not been for Sakura's quick thinking in storing the food in old takeout containers, then _a lot_ of food would have been wasted.

"I wouldn't want to intrude–"

"Nonsense. You are to be my son-in-law and setting one extra place is no fuss at all," Mebuki said, smiling. Then, she added, "Both of you please ensure you're back before five, if you happen to go out."

Itachi nodded once.

Her smile returned, attention diverting to Kyo. "Kyo-san, you missed breakfast with your wandering this morning. Would you like some food?"

He perked up immediately at the offering, but she was too late to order him to stay as he launched himself towards the door, leaving their gazes glued to the unmistakable toy laying on the bed. It may as well have been sounding some form of alarm for how loud it suddenly became.

She felt Itachi's gaze drift to her reddening face.

"U-Um…"

_She should have tidied her room after all._

Pitifully, she peered in her mother's direction, wincing at the horrified wide eyed gaze.

And then…

"_What the hell is that thing, Sakura?!"_

* * *

"You are easily embarrassed, after all."

Bastard.

"There's a difference between teasing the man you're marrying and having your mother find your _used_ sex toy!"

That was definitely a smirk in his eyes, wasn't it? Damn it, she was going to pulverise him the second they entered the training grounds.

"You have only yourself to blame," he told her simply, glancing to her from the corner of his eye as they made their way to the Hokage Tower. "You should keep your room tidy."

Too humiliated to even argue anymore, Sakura kept her head lowered fractionally, sheepishly returning the greetings from the villagers who smiled and waved. They didn't offer the same greetings to Itachi, she noticed after a few moments, finally lifting her head properly to look around. Half of them acted like he wasn't even there, whereas the others were wary, waving from a distance with sheepish expressions once they noticed him.

Green eyes peered up at Itachi, her stomach twisting at the forced smoothness of his stoic features. That was definitely a guarded expression, wasn't it? One nobody would usually question, as it appeared as nothing more than indifference – something they were all used to seeing from the Uchiha Clan. Would anybody else who knew Itachi notice the brief clenching of his jaw? The extra care he put into carefully maintaining that indifference? How it was _too_ smooth?

Taking a risk, she looped her arm through his, smiling up at Itachi and when someone next spoke to her, she ensured that he was also acknowledged, eyes threatening to narrow warningly when they resisted her silent orders. Did it scare people off? Sure. Did she care? Hell no. They were being rude to her future husband without a solid reason! His introverted personality wasn't a good enough excuse. Neither was the excuse that his clan was made up of assholes.

"That is not necessary," he tried to tell her.

Sakura scoffed, chin tipping haughtily as she sent another fellow shinobi scurrying away after they'd dared to act so disrespectful in front of her. "I hate disrespect."

A minute smirk was her thanks, even though it was accompanied by a sigh moments later. "Still, you could potentially alienate yourself if you are not careful."

"I dare them to try," she said in the same haughty manner. "I'll crush them for merely thinking about it." At his widening smirk, she looked up at him from beneath her lashes, raising a brow. "I'm to be the matriarch of the Uchiha Clan, after all. I can't go dragging you down by appearing as weak."

Victory soared through her stomach, flipping it in its wake, as his smirk transformed into a smile that reached his eyes, warming them in a way she was truly beginning to identify as beautifully. "You could never drag me down."

The gently spoken words warmed her cheeks and Sakura kept her eyes forward, focusing on their destination of her shishou's office.

They navigated the halls of the tower in comfortable silence, though not once could Sakura forget about his presence by her side, especially as she realised just how detailed their mission report would no doubt have to be. In a way, it would help fill Tsunade in on what was happening if she was unable to report on her secret mission, although part of Sakura felt like it was… She wasn't sure. It just kind of made her feel a little uncomfortable having her know of their newfound sex life.

Gently pulling away from Itachi, Sakura took the lead and knocked on the office doors, stepping back when Shizune opened them with a smile, greeting the pair with equal warmth.

"Shizune-senpai," she said with a smile. "We're here to report. Is Tsunade-sama free?"

"Yes – she's been waiting for you both, actually." She moved aside and opened the doors further, granting more room for them to enter together. It was only once they were inside that Shizune bowed her head respectfully. "If you will excuse me."

Sakura watched from over her shoulder as her sibling disciple left the office with a bead of sweat running down the side of her face, though an aggravated sigh from the woman behind the desk soon stole her attention, bringing to life one of Sakura's reoccurring nightmares.

Tsunade was in a bad mood.

Stomping back her uncertainty and wishes to leave as quickly as possible, without provoking some form of harsh punishment, Sakura straightened and started, "We're here to report–"

"_You_."

The shake in her voice that showed her rapidly escalating rage had Sakura gulping and glancing up at Itachi, wondering if the next ten seconds would be one of the purposely constructed situations where she had the opportunity to earn his trust by going up against shishou to save his life. But it couldn't have been, because Tsunade's seething seemed too real to be faked, the desk groaning worryingly under her grasp.

"Hokage-sama," he responded blandly, unaffected.

She shouldn't have expected anything less, Sakura realised.

"Your _clan_," she fumed and slowly stood, leaning over her desk with twisting features. "Does your pig-headed father realise how much he's asking of my apprentice? _Huh?"_

Still, Itachi remained unconcerned with her rage, holding her gaze calmly. He was the polar opposite of her in that moment (the desk remaining between them like a divider was a nice touch, she mentally added, though part of her wondered morbidly when it would be used as a weapon), so much so that it was almost amusing. Almost. It couldn't be when they were discussing her.

"What happened, Tsunade-sama?"

But her eyes never left Itachi's, narrowed and deadly and at the sight of the left one beginning to twitch, Sakura felt a cold sweat break out on her back because she knew that look. She knew that the next few sentences would decide their fate.

"He's under the impression you are retiring."

Fear was drowned out of her, replaced by a numbed disbelief as she looked up to Itachi, taking a few steps back and away from him.

"You…?"

Had he already made up his mind?

"We are here to report our mission."

It felt like…

_She was…_

Her brows came together harshly.

Surely he hadn't already come up with a decision? They'd been in the village for an hour maximum – had only parted ways for half that time. Obviously, in that time, he'd had ample opportunity to seek out his father to share his findings and decision, but… Gods, she was so stupid, wasn't she? Why did she actually believe that he would carefully consider the decision when there was so much pressure on his shoulders regarding her status?

"Like hell you are," growled Tsunade. The sound of her teeth grinding together would usually cause Sakura to cringe, but in that moment, it was the least of her concerns as she continued to stare up at the stoic man, his features a carefully composed mask that refused to share his intentions with her. "Until you tell me what the hell you think you're playing at, I refuse to accept your report!"

"How mature."

_Was he purposely baiting her?_

_What the hell was wrong with him?_

It was a death wish, wasn't it? Her future husband was a heartless moron with a death wish.

It didn't matter. He could get himself killed ten times over and it wouldn't matter to her because… because he…

"You lied to me," mumbled Sakura, staring up at him. "Y-You said you'd think about it carefully before coming up with a decision."

"I did."

He did? Which part? Lied to her or his agreement to think it all over? _Which was it?_

If he'd lied to her, then Uchiha Itachi was far colder than she ever could have imagined. Toying with her mind in such a way, trying his luck with her when teleporting them to her bedroom, knowing he'd just ended her career…

If he'd lied to her, then…

"Then why is your father turning up at _my_ office like he owns the damn place telling _me_ to dismiss my own damn apprentice?"

Sakura had a feeling that if they weren't in such a professional setting, her shishou would have said a whole lot worse. Perhaps done a whole lot worse, too.

"I do not control or have a say in my father's plans or actions."

He was making it worse for himself. She could feel it not only in her own _need_ to punch him out of the damned window, but also in Tsunade as she suddenly pushed off from the desk, her fists marred with knuckles that were white under the strain.

"If that is all, Hokage-sama," he continued when nothing more was said and Sakura felt herself put on edge at the finality in his tone. "I would like to begin our report now."

If that…

Stepping between Itachi and her fuming shishou just as she moved to advance, Sakura glared up at him darkly, the intense anger building within her heating her body up maddeningly. It was accompanied by a minute shake of her hands, though that was soon remedied when she clenched them into tight fists.

"Don't you dare brush my future off like it means nothing," she muttered, voice trembling with her intense emotions. "Did you or did you not speak with your father when we returned?"

He met her eye calmly, without faltering and _it drove her fucking crazy_, that anger tripling when he answered, "I did."


	15. No Matter How You Shake My Core

**Chapter 13 – No Matter How You Shake My Core**

Her knuckles cracked. "Did you lie to me?"

"Do you believe I have lied to you?"

No. He was not turning their conversation into some kind of bantering. It was way too serious for that. "Up until now," she said in a calmer voice. "No. After everything that was said on our mission, I believed you were on my side."

By the slightest amount, one of his eyebrows raised. "Have you been given any reason to suddenly believe my father's words over mine?"

What the hell was he being so goddamn cryptic for? "Itachi," she tried quietly, anger evaporating and leaving her tired. "_Please_. Did you say I should retire?"

But they were interrupted by the doors slamming open, Itachi's mouth closing as he glanced over his shoulder to find out who it was, not that he really needed to.

"Baa-chan, I'm here for Sakura-chan–"

Just as he'd interrupted them, she interrupted him with a renewed fury, whirling around with the fire of hell burning in her eyes, fist once more clenched and ready to strike as she lunged for him.

"_Naruto, you idiot!"_

* * *

Trembling faintly with her rage, she kept her hard gaze fixated on Tsunade's equally dark glare. The fight to remain composed was damn near impossible and Sakura could feel the fury threatening to overflow at the mere notion that the cause was standing a couple of feet to her left. What made that feeling double was the idiot on her right nursing a throbbing lump, his vocalisation of his pain maddening to her.

How stupid did she look putting her feelings on the line like that? Baring her heart to him like… Gods, she was so fucking angry. And stupid. And pathetic. And–

…and hurt, Sakura realised with a huge surge of horror.

Was that the reasoning behind why she was so angry?

The shock was like diving headfirst into an ice cold river, only instead of escaping the first chance she got, Itachi's hand – his careful, strong and unyielding hand – was holding her head under, determined on draining the life out of her in the slowest, most agonising way possible. And no matter how valiantly she struggled to save her own life, it was all for naught, because she had, in every sense of the word, fucked up.

For her to be hurt by the potential betrayal meant that her mission was bordering into failure territory. She was doing the worst thing possible.

Instead of making Itachi fall in love with her, it seemed she was developing feelings for him.

And the minute twitch of her shishou's eyes, like they were trying to narrow but wouldn't in front of the others, told her she knew it too. How wouldn't she when Sakura had once more put her heart on her sleeve for everyone to see?

Developing feelings, while beneficial in gaining Itachi's trust and would mean she would be more believable, would only end badly for her in the long run.

"Our discussion will be adjourned for now," muttered Tsunade with a weak restraint on her own anger. The discontent was obvious to them all – even Naruto, as he slowly lowered his hand from his head and frowned, looking between them all unsurely. "Naruto, the next time you barge into my office like that will be your last. Understood?"

"Yeah, sure," he murmured uncaringly, going as far as to throw in a dismissive wave. Then, with that same hand, he jabbed a thumb in their direction, asking Tsunade with a deepening frown, "What's going on with them? Sakura-chan looks–"

"You'll never see the light of day if you continue to try and involve yourself in my marriage," she told him coldly. Sending a glare his way to ensure her point hit home, she continued in a low mutter, "And that's _without_ going into the fact you keep showing Tsunade-sama such disrespect."

"Never mind that, Sakura."

Never mind that? _Never mind…?_ Hell no. She was so fucking tired of everyone believing her shishou wasn't up there with her predecessors simply because of her gender. In Naruto's case, Sakura knew it had nothing to do with that – he'd treated the Sandaime in the same manner. But the way Itachi had spoken to – not with, but _to_ – Tsunade only moments ago like the outcome of her apprentice's – no, her _shinobi's – _future had nothing to do with her was infuriating.

Who the hell was he to question Tsunade's maturity? Who did he think he was believing he had a right to dictate the topic of their discussion? Her shishou had spent a hell of a long time training her and defining her skills – she'd had a hand in who she was as a person! Just because he was going to be her husband didn't erase that fact or make her shishou's input any less valuable or necessary.

Oh, Gods. She was losing her goddamn mind. She'd always thought the saying "seeing red" was an exaggeration, but she was pretty damn close to it.

And so what if her developing feelings had a part to play in her bad mood? It didn't take away Itachi's blatant disrespect. Regardless of their conversation, Tsunade was their Hokage – _their superior _in every sense of the word – and Sakura could feel herself growing more and more disappointed in him the more she replayed the conversation in their mind.

It had nothing on the disappointment towards herself, however. That was… That was immeasurable because not only had she proven to her shishou that she was a failure before they'd even said, "I do", but she'd also proven that she couldn't protect Konoha. She was too emotionally weak and because of that, her mission was a failure.

"Naruto, leave."

He was still spluttering about her coldness towards him when Tsunade addressed him, but the cracking of the blonde's knuckles had him scurrying from the office without a backwards glance.

The second the doors were shut, Sakura straightened up, already knowing that they would be reporting their mission without any further distractions (including the issue of her status, however reluctantly).

"The mission was a success," Sakura informed her, taking charge before Itachi could. "The target was seduced and we obtained the information needed to determine Fire Nation's safety, should the organisation be left to their own devices."

"And?"

She didn't miss a beat, telling Tsunade, "We eliminated the threat."

The blonde nodded and sat down at her desk once more. It seemed, for the time being, her bad mood was being kept at bay. "Good. Congratulations on completing your first s-ranked mission, Sakura."

There was no joy at the praise or towards the completion of her mission. Not when the end result (or at least the effects of all that had transpired during it) was so damaging to her secret mission.

Sleeping with Itachi had been a mistake, but what was more regrettable was her feelings regarding it all. It wasn't _supposed_ to feel like a mistake. She wasn't supposed to be _hurt_ by the mere thought of him betraying her. He wasn't supposed to be able to make her _so goddamn angry_.

"Traces of Konoha?"

"Left behind, as the mission scroll requested."

Leaning back in her seat, she once more nodded. "Good. I expect the full written reports by tomorrow afternoon."

Great, because _that_ was going to go down well.

"You may both leave."

She almost wanted to beg to stay behind, mainly because she didn't want to face Itachi and his betrayal any time soon, but also because it meant she had more time alone with him and more time to focus on those stupid feelings _that needed to be squashed._

They left the office to an empty hallway and she sagged with relief to find that Naruto hadn't waited behind for her like he usually did, probably because of Itachi's presence more than anything.

The silence that dragged out between them was agonisingly uncomfortable and if she looked at him for too long, then that anger reignited. The thing that troubled her the most about said anger, however, was that it wasn't totally directed at him and the more she let that anger fester, the more frustrated with herself she became. And soon enough, that frustration would transform into self-doubt – absolutely fatal on a mission. She could not show or even _have_ any weaknesses. Someone like Itachi would notice them instantly and could potentially foil the whole mission.

"Would you care to join me?"

Sakura looked up at Itachi almost warily, steeling herself for whatever he was about to propose. "To what?"

"To the training grounds," he explained patiently. Turning to face her fully, she saw that his expression was no less than what he'd shown her during their mission: distant, but not cold. Careful, but not guarded. Gods, how could he look at her like the last ten minutes hadn't happened? "I would like to train with you."

Frustration had her demanding, "And your father?"

"Do you remember our deal?"

The patience in his tone was still there, though for a split second, it was accompanied by a softer look in his eyes, one that was almost, _almost_ a look akin to understanding. "You said that you'd be deciding–"

She cut herself off abruptly, no doubt staring up at Itachi like an idiot.

He gave her a small smile. "I have not yet decided what your future will be. There were faults in the way you handled the mission, however there were just as many good points as there were bad."

Weakly, she tried to stomp back the smile that graced her lips in response to the hope reigniting within her.

"I promised you that I would think over this decision carefully – I understand it means everything to you, so I am doing my utmost to ensure the decision I make is not biased or tainted by outside opinions." Stepping back ever so slightly, Itachi offered his arm like it was a sign of peace and Sakura couldn't help but inwardly laugh at herself for getting so caught up in herself. "When that decision is made, I – and I alone – will inform Hokage-sama."

There was hesitancy in her movements even as she accepted his arm, watching him with a furrowed brow. "And if your clan disagrees?"

It was dangerous allowing herself to hope (as the past ten minutes or so had proven to her), but still, Sakura wanted to. She wanted to believe that Itachi wasn't coldhearted or a monster, that the person he'd been for the past couple of weeks wasn't a fake he'd created to lure her in.

After all, the probability of the clan using her against Tsunade was just as high as her using Itachi against them. In their line of work, they had to be prepared for anything, had to always assume that everyone had an ulterior motive.

"Then that is their problem," he murmured. A soft smile curved his lips when they left the tower, heading straight to the training grounds. She wanted to argue that they had no weapons, but she knew it probably wouldn't be a spar. "I made a deal with you, Sakura. I would like to honour that."

She nodded, unable to think of anything to reply with. Instead, she once more distracted herself with the villagers and their reactions to their leisurely walk. Many looked to them with uncertainty (some even looked concerned for her), whereas others downright refused to look their way entirely.

Why hadn't she ever noticed the prejudice before? Even when walking with Sasuke, the looks of distrust and contempt weren't half as noticeable – unless she was simply ignorant? If that was the case, then that made her just as bad – if not worse – than them, didn't it?

Of course, over the years, she'd heard many rumours regarding the clan and what they got up to (as well as what they were accused of), but none of it truly sunk in, because there was no evidence to back any of it up. That, in her eyes, made it useless gossip that wasn't worth her time. It wasn't even entertaining to consider how possible any of it was either. Relationships (or suspected relationships) on the other hand, were _remarkably _interesting to investigate and gossip about.

They held quiet chatter on their way to the grounds, discussing safe topics such as the dinner they would be enduring later that day, or Naruto's interfering with the mission report – that conversation then progressed to their actual mission report and what they thought should be involved.

"I believe we shouldn't leave anything out," he informed her as they finally entered the vacant training grounds. "To do so could cause problems somewhere down the line."

Usually, she would agree, but… "I don't want my shishou – our Hokage – to know that we had sex."

"The threesome would need to be included regardless."

Sighing helplessly because she knew he was right, Sakura finally released Itachi's arm and stepped away to the centre of the training fields, turning to face him when she sensed he'd stopped.

"The threesome, I get. But what happened between us…" Putting on an air of nervousness, she looked to Itachi from beneath her eyelashes, tugging on the hem of her shirt. Did it work? She couldn't really tell. "I want that to remain as _ours_."

"Our sleeping together had no impact on the mission," agreed Itachi after several tortuous moments, making her sigh with relief and smile. "It was simply an upside of it."

Was he…?

Sakura damned herself for the flutter in her stomach as she realised that he was flirting with her.

"So, what's the purpose of this training?" she asked, trying to shove aside the stupid butterflies.

While he was seemingly okay with getting stuck into training without stretching, she sure as hell wasn't and to make a point of that, Sakura held his gaze as she began warming up her muscles slowly. It wasn't until she rolled her shoulders that he copied her example, movements already fluid like he was constantly warmed up.

When she executed her side lunges, she noticed how his eyes strayed momentarily, admiring the stretch of her long legs. To tease him just that little bit more, she unnecessarily went into the splits, murmuring that her hips needed stretching also. Her hands came to the grass, walking upwards until her chest was flat against it, legs spread wide.

She sensed him shift.

And then she was up again, using her hands to flip herself over and straighten up.

"That should do," she murmured playfully.

If they were sparring, then she would do whatever necessary to gain the upper hand just as she'd been trained to. And, as a kunoichi, she had ample ways to get herself that upper hand – her body being the main one.

All shinobi were flexible to a degree, but kunoichi were on a whole other level. They had to be, really, due to what was required of them. Flexibility also aided Sakura massively in dodging attacks or escaping supposedly difficult pins. She was capable of evading grubby hands grabbing at her, trying to restrain her.

"We will spar," Itachi informed her, straightening. He didn't seem to have a battle stance like she did, but she paid that no mind as her right foot slipped backwards a few steps, prepared to launch herself at him. "Without the use of weapons."

Ninjutsu wasn't her strong point and she knew that it would be pointless against a sharingan of that calibre, also. Unless she managed to hide her hand signs from him somehow, Sakura knew each attack would be foiled instantly. He also had the speed advantage, she believed. What she needed to do was go into the spar not only with the assumption that his sharingan could see each of her moves, but also that he was capable of keeping up with it, too. Having eyes that predicted attacks was one thing, but it was totally pointless if he couldn't keep up with her.

Taijutsu was her best bet. However, he knew her fighting style and from the slight shift onto his left leg, Sakura could tell that he was going to immediately create distance between them. He would probably use ninjutsu from a distance to tire her out (maybe a few genjutsu too, considering he was notorious for them), then attack her with taijutsu or a pin when he believed she was weakened or tired out.

Smirking, Sakura lowered herself, fists clenching.

_Simple._

There was no utterance of "begin" or an object falling to signify the start of their spar.

No, they merely held each other's gaze, her smirk setting everything into motion.

Growling, she leapt into the air just as his foot shifted ever so slightly, coming down on him with a chakra laden punch, decimating the ground where he'd once been standing. It was just as quickly that she vacated the area, the sudden searing heat hurtling towards her alerting Sakura to a fire jutsu.

She hadn't even seen him move, confirming her suspicions of his being faster. But also like her suspicions: he was using ninjutsu from afar.

"Coward," she taunted, flipping out of the way of another fire jutsu. She wondered if he would teach them to her at some point like his clan elders had ordered him to. "Too scared to go toe-to-toe with me?"

"Too wise," came his soft reply and she spun, ducking just in time for another fire jutsu to fly over her head, singing the ends of her hair.

Once again growling, Sakura tucked and rolled out of more attacks, waiting until the area was filled with smoke from the fire jutsu before executing her plan of sending a clone underground, leaving herself wide open in her original place.

Then pretending to lose focus as the smoke settled, she grabbed the ends of her hair and yelled, "You _burned_ my_ hair!"_

There was a pause.

She bit back a smirk.

"I am not your teammates," Itachi warned and leapt from his place in the trees, revealing he'd been in a different place to what she'd been anticipating.

Spinning on her heel, she snapped, "Meaning I won't go easy on you for doing it!"

She hadn't even seen him move – her eyes were still so certain that she was looking at him standing opposite her across the field, but her chakra _swore_ that it wasn't genjutsu – and was completely unaware until the air shifted behind her, a hand suddenly grabbing her arm and twisting it behind her back, bringing their bodies flush and making her skin _burn_ in a frightfully delightful way.

"This is the real you," he murmured lowly into her ear, sending a shiver down her spine.

The hold was secure and unyielding – the only way to escape would be to break her own arm and for a spar, she wasn't willing to go that far.

So, instead, she had the clone she'd summoned moments ago attack, the blue glow of chakra remaining behind several seconds after she swung. The strength behind the attack was enough to threaten their balance, forcing them both to send chakra to their feet to remain standing.

The clone was relentless, spinning expertly on her heel and ducking beneath Itachi's kick until she was behind him, using his determination to keep his restraining hold on Sakura to her advantage. Arm coming around his neck and other hand pressing to the side of his face, she applied a warning pressure just as he was about to dodge.

"Release me, Itachi," Sakura warned, smirking.

But then he was appearing in front of her all of a sudden, making Sakura's heart sink when she was released from a genjutsu she had no idea even existed. But how was that possible? She was a genjutsu user! And while Itachi was an expert in that area, she should have _at least_ sensed the change in her chakra.

Suddenly, rather than being restrained by him, she was restrained by her own clone, head tilting painfully until she dispatched of the clone with a sharp elbow to its stomach.

She was outclassed. Massively.

But… her predictions for the battle weren't totally off. He'd started with ninjutsu as she'd expected, followed it with genjutsu and now, he was close enough for her to attack.

"I'm impressed that I had to use a stronger genjutsu on you," Itachi admired after a moment, throwing her off just as she prepared to lunge. "Then again, you are originally a genjutsu type, correct?"

_He's trying to use emotions and praise against me,_ Sakura concluded, eyes narrowing.

But she wasn't a childish girl longing for attention and respect anymore.

Upper lip curling, she spun in time to meet the fist of his clone, yanking on it and when he was within reach, she slammed her forehead into his, completing the attack with a chakra-less kick to the side. Even without chakra it was powerful, instantly dispatching his shadow clone.

She looked over her shoulder with narrowed eyes, asking with a smirk, "Do you really think that lowly of me, Itachi?"

What was that strange feeling curling in the pit of her stomach? It was much too hot to be excitement, yet too dark to be arousal.

She lunged when he did, her fist just skimming his cheek when Itachi tilted his head to the side, her smirk widening when she only barely dodged the knee to her stomach. The quick reaction seemed to take him by surprise, but only for a brief second before they were throwing their fists forward again and she sidestepped swiftly, ducking beneath his next attack.

It wasn't so much seeing as it was sensing. Sakura knew that if she relied wholly on her eyes, she wouldn't be capable of dodging half the attacks aimed at her.

Although…

_So fast_, she inwardly awed over the constant flow of attacks, body only just able to keep up.

Her hand touched the ground as she leaned backwards into a perfect arch, kicking upwards at Itachi's jaw knowing it wouldn't connect, but to make him back off. Then, she flipped herself back over, only touching down for a second before she was dashing forward after him, gritting her teeth as he managed to effortlessly dodge her blows.

Her ninjutsu was severely lacking, so when she _did_ use it, it was either in conjunction with her teammates' attacks or when she knew it would have a high success rate. In their spar, against Itachi, every jutsu in her arsenal had a low success rate rendering them pointless to use. For starters, he was much too fast for her to accurately pin him down, but there was also his sharingan and its abilities to predict the attack (allowing him to counter them) to contend with. Using ninjutsu would merely be a waste of chakra, just as using genjutsu was downright stupid when up against an Uchiha.

Itachi suddenly ducked beneath her fist, lunging upwards while grabbing her shoulders to keep her in place.

"Forgive me," he murmured.

And then his knee slammed into her stomach, ruthlessly beating the breath out of her and for a second, she was stunned, forehead falling to his chest, saliva involuntarily spraying out of her with a cough (for a second, she feared it was blood it hurt that bad).

He'd used chakra with it, she noticed the second the attack landed, the pain spreading in her back in response to the invasion.

Wisely, Itachi released her and leapt away as soon as she reached for him.

Hand coming to her already bruising stomach, she quickly healed the majority of the damage she'd taken while simultaneously rushing at him, smirking when she noticed she'd taken him by surprise.

"You can heal and attack at the same time?"

Her smirk widened and she shot chakra to her left leg, jumping into the air and raising her right, bringing it down on him mercilessly.

The destruction was beautiful and handy, granting her the opportunity to hide in the chaos to finish healing herself. He'd done an astonishing amount of nonfatal damage with that single blow, but it didn't irk her. No, she was impressed with his strength and _relished_ in the fact that he took her as seriously as he would his male comrades. Even her own team held back their strength the majority of the time when sparring against her.

She revealed herself once she was finished, knowing there was no use in hiding. Someone with his experience would find her in a heartbeat.

After a brief glance around herself, she felt the air above her shift and was hasty in jumping backwards, dodging his kick. She didn't move too far, instead seizing the opportunity to grab his ankle and launch him across the battered grounds.

What she wasn't expecting, however, was for him to also grab her, bringing her along for the ride.

All she saw was his smirk for the briefest of seconds before he cushioned his landing with her front, pinning her beneath his weight and locking her limbs down, his body pressing down on her back in a way that had her fighting against squirming into him.

Itachi leaned forward, making her bite her lip to remain in control of the shivers when he whispered into her ear, "I believe this means I have won."

The only way to break the hold was to break him, though she knew there was no use in doing so. She'd only have to heal him afterwards.

She turned her head to the side despite the hand tangled in her hair, ignoring the sharp pains shooting across her scalp in protest, looking to him with a lidded gaze.

"Congratulations."

His smirk returned and he climbed off her, saying, "I have no intentions of falling for such a trick, Sakura. I don't need my sharingan to know that you would incapacitate me the second I fall for your advances."

_Wise man,_ she thought and promptly gave up the act.

She accepted the hand reaching out for hers, allowing Itachi to hoist her to her feet.

While stretching out her muscles, she asked, "What was the point in that?"

It had certainly aided her in releasing those negative emotions that'd been leftover, but other than that, the spar hadn't really amounted to much. All it had really achieved was solidifying the fact in her mind that Uchiha Itachi was on a whole other level to her. If they were to fight for real, he'd defeat her in a heartbeat.

"The point is that I wanted to see for myself how strong you are," he began, assessing the way she handled herself. "I'm glad you didn't try using ninjutsu or genjutsu against me."

"Because it's pointless," she told him with a chuckle.

"Also, despite having such large reserves, you use your chakra wisely," he praised. "Many others would have used it recklessly."

Well, it was simple. Unlike those other people (such as Naruto), she was a medic first and foremost and had the lives of her comrades resting on her shoulders. Even though she was capable of disregarding the medic-nin rules because of her seal, she still had to fight wisely and with their lives being her number one priority. Recklessly wasting chakra in the hopes of landing an attack or causing damage was futile and in some cases, fatal.

"Both of these factors show you were thinking about our spar strategically," continued Itachi. "I know how I want to train you now."

"Oh?"

"We will start with your speed. There were several times when your punches almost landed – we will make it so they always do." Just before he turned, Itachi seemed to consider something carefully before holding out his elbow to her, offering a small smile. "We should head back. Your mother will be disappointed if we miss dinner."

More like livid. Still, Sakura didn't argue (even though the last thing she wanted was to face her mother after such brutal humiliation), her arm slipping easily around his. "Let's go, then."

* * *

**A/N - Guys, I'm in mourning. I decided to rewatch Tokyo Ghoul before starting the final two seasons and now I'm so disappointed. I won't post spoilers, I just want to say: HOW THE FUCK COULD THEY SHOVE LIKE 2-3 SEASONS WORTH OF CONTENT INTO 12 FUCKING EPISODES OMG I'M SO MAD. It was all so underwhelming.**


	16. I'll Let You Take The Wheel

**Chapter 14 – I'll Let You Take The Wheel**

The wedding was in a week. Barely.

Standing outside the boutique, Sakura breathed deeply through her nose, attempting to steel her nerves. Kind of humorous, she thought to herself, that she could face a battle to the death without any fear but standing before a dress store had her hesitating.

It wasn't just another dress shop though, was it? It signified the beginning of her new life – the life of a woman chained to an arranged marriage. Granted, at least she got on with Itachi and would never deny that they had great chemistry, yet…

Fingers slipping into hers and entwining gently had Sakura's head snapping to the left, eyes widening at the sight of warm blue eyes.

"Scared?"

Despite their spat, she nodded. Slowly at first before all walls crumbled around them, leaving her to suck in a sharp breath to regain composure before somebody noticed. "Terrified."

They faced the boutique together, eyeing up the extravagant modern wedding dresses curiously. The dresses in the floor to ceiling windows were seemingly designed with the intentions of being the furthest thing from traditional as possible, what with the sweetheart necklines, corsets and puffed out skirts. There was so much lace and silk and satin on display too, the elegantly styled piles of fabric showboating the fact the boutique was capable of creating dresses from scratch, also.

"I saw Mebuki-oba go in earlier," her best friend explained without any prodding. They were seemingly entranced by the store to the crowds surrounding them, unable to tear their gazes away for a split second as cold, hard reality set in at full force. "I thought I'd see you sooner or later."

"You stuck around just to see me?"

She made a brief sound of disbelieving amusement. "You were avoiding me, weren't you?"

No, not really. Sakura had genuinely been rushed off her feet not only preparing for the wedding she didn't want, but with shifts at the hospital and training, too. She rarely got a moment alone. The majority of her time was now spent with one Uchiha or another, all of them prepping her for taking on the role as the clan's matriarch.

"I shouldn't have been on your case," began Ino with a deep sigh. The hand holding hers tightened briefly in a comforting gesture and in a small way, it helped. "Not when I know I would've lost my shit, too."

Finally. Someone was _finally_ looking at the whole thing from her perspective.

"Women are still oppressed – even in our profession, where we're supposed to be strong and capable of standing our ground. Brushing off your feelings the way I did, knowing you've given up just as much as I have to get to where you are today, is just…" She shook her head, jaw clenching. "Your feelings are valid, Sakura. You have every right to yell or scream or cry."

Damn right she did.

Only, she couldn't because it was a mission above all else. She had to act as though marrying Itachi wasn't all that bad, that they were getting to know and appreciate one another. She had to gain his trust and respect because it was only then that he would open up to her about what his clan was plotting – _if_ they were plotting against the village.

"Is this your way of apologising?" asked Sakura teasingly to try and diffuse the tension. "Or is it that you want a sneak peak of my wedding dress before the big day?"

Blue eyes rolled, but fortunately, Ino seemed to understand what she was doing and even seemed grateful for it, for a brief moment. Smirking, she responded, "You should know by now that I will _always_ be one step ahead of the grapevine."

Yes, she certainly was and no doubt finding out about the wedding the same time as everyone else wounded Ino's pride.

When their gazes met, Sakura found herself relaxing somewhat seeing the understanding and support lingering behind the playfulness in Ino's expression. As she always had and most likely always would, her best friend was there for her even during an unresolved (although now technically resolved, Sakura corrected) argument.

"I also saw Mikoto-san and several Uchiha elders entering ten minutes before Mebuki-oba," added the blonde after several moments. Raising a cleanly arched eyebrow, she continued with, "Going off their body language, I'm guessing they're not exactly thrilled with your choice of boutique."

Oh, without a doubt. There were no kimonos on display. No shred of traditionality (or anything that even remotely resembled what an Uchiha would usually dress in) showed in the store – she'd sent a disguised clone to scope the place out without garnering any unwanted attention from nosey villagers days beforehand, just as a precaution. It was everything she wanted, but at the same time, wasn't. In fact, it was far from it and her legs ached with the need to turn and run.

Knowing that they were all going to be on her back about not going with the traditional kimono that all matriarchs of the clan had worn on their wedding day drained her massively, leaving Sakura unable to shift from her stance outside the boutique. They wouldn't offer any encouragement or praise while she tried on dresses, if anything, they would condemn each gown and no doubt make her feel worthless. And, to keep the elders and matriarch happy, her mother would probably agree with them too.

"I refused the clan's wedding kimono that's basically been passed down who knows how long," mumbled Sakura lowly, not wanting anyone to overhear. The streets were relatively busy, after all.

"Iro-Uchikake or Shiromuku?" Ino questioned just as quietly, huffing out a heavy sigh when she was informed it was the former. To not draw too much attention, the blonde returned to assessing the gown on display, head tilting ever so slightly like she was truly pondering what it would look like on her. "Either way, that's _a lot_ of brides wearing the same kimono. It's hardly going to make you feel special."

That was a more superficial perspective, Sakura supposed. Rather than fighting against the patriarchy and disliking the symbolism of having her freedom stripped from her the day of the wedding, she could have just said that she wanted something that was _only hers_. Perhaps the superficial streak–

No, it wouldn't have worked when marrying someone like Itachi. He would've seen straight through it. With him, it was painfully obvious that honesty worked best, even though that was so fucking ironic.

"I don't mind–"

"Will you come in?"

Ino smiled brightly at the question, shoulders dropping like she'd been anxiously awaiting the invitation. "I'd love to."

* * *

They weren't thrilled with Ino's joining them.

Tapping her index finger to her lips thoughtfully, Sakura assessed each dress carefully before pouting to the blonde who was holding them up with a demanding little shake of one particular coat hanger. That one had way too many frills for her liking, however.

When the elders had attempted to chew Mikoto's ear off about Ino's presence, her best friend had instantly put herself to use by cutting them off and greeting both mothers warmly, ensuring them that she would show the whole of Konoha just how lucky Uchiha Itachi was.

Sakura refused to admit she'd blushed at the comment.

"That one is awfully revealing."

Blue eyes rolled, though only because her back was to the elders who remained seated at the window.

"When have women _ever_ needed a man's input for dress shopping?" she shot back in return as politely as possible, taking the harsh edge off her words.

"Apparently since the bride decided to disregard tradition–"

"Oh, c'mon," she said in a slight whine. Spinning to glare at the elders, Ino then snapped, "Are you seriously telling me that Sakura doesn't deserve to feel just as special as your own daughters or wives on _their_ wedding day?"

Sakura sighed and turned back to the dresses on display, carefully feeling the delicate lace of one dress that continuously caught her attention. The others could argue all damn day if they wanted, just as long as she wasn't forced to get involved.

"Try it on."

She dropped the dress promptly at the quiet murmur, green eyes darting upwards to meet her mother's saddened ones. Her body was angled ever so slightly to hide her expression (or was it her lips she was trying to hide, since she was speaking so quietly?), allowing Sakura to see her uncertainty and upset and in response, her heart clenched.

"That's the seventh time you've gone to this dress. If you like it, it's okay to try it on," Mebuki assured her.

It was just that it was lace and felt incredibly soft, she wanted snap back at her, but Sakura couldn't summon the anger that had kept her going the past few weeks. No, in that moment, her mother seemed just as sad and tired and lost as she felt on the inside and it killed her a little to see her going through such pain, even after all that had happened.

"Is it?" she questioned quietly in return, gaze drifting to the irate elders and fuming blonde. From the stance alone, Sakura could tell she was mere seconds away from a foot stomp and screech of frustration. Gods, she was glad she'd invited Ino in the end. "What if I try it on and love it? I doubt they'll ever agree to it."

Her mother smiled at that, her eyes creasing. "You have gotten your way with almost everything else. If this is _the_ dress, then I know you will be walking down the aisle in it."

Explaining modern weddings not only to her parents, but to Itachi's clan elders and parents, had been a nightmare, so seeing her mother trying her hardest to recall all the little bits and pieces warmed her aching heart.

Returning her gaze to the lace dress and picturing herself wearing it, she felt the stirrings of anxiousness curling in her stomach. However, it wasn't entirely negative.

"Come on," Mebuki insisted, sneakily taking it from its hanging place. "They're all too busy to notice if we disappear."

No, they weren't since they were all shinobi or retired shinobi, she almost argued. However, she abruptly shut the negative thoughts down upon seeing the flash of excitement and determination in her mother's eyes.

"Okay," she relented and accepted the dress, ignoring Mikoto's indifferent stare as it followed each of their movements. "Let's go."

Unlike the dressing rooms of other stores, the one she was ushered into was unexpectedly much larger – enough so that the four elders, Mikoto _and _Ino would have easily fit inside alongside them (and the attendant who was helping her into the dress). It boasted gigantic mirrors that looked like they cost thrice the average pay of an a-ranked mission, their heavy frames complete with intricate carvings and patterns, together with high ceilings, plush pastel coloured sofas and marble side tables.

It was so easy to feel grossly out of place as she stood as still as possible, allowing the attendant to peg the dress at the back so that it fit her better, however the moment she glanced up and caught sight of her mother's teary eyes, Sakura felt indescribably complete and like she _belonged_. That feeling only tripled as she stepped in front of a mirror, breath leaving her in a quiet huff at the woman staring back at her.

For the first time in her life, she felt delicate and elegant and _beautiful._

She reached down, softly gathering the lace as she turned, eyeing the back with awe and adoration. Never, in all her eighteen years of life, had she _ever_ thought her back could be so beautiful, but the delicate curve of her spine being emphasised by the faux buttons, coupled with the nude mesh certainly made it appear as such.

"We can have the mesh altered to match your skin tone appropriately," the attendant informed her, though Sakura listened in a daze.

"Sakura?"

"This…" She slowly turned to face her mother, offering a hesitant smile. "This is it."

After notes were taken and pins were slid into place, Sakura reluctantly removed the dress and returned to her boring old clothes, returning to the feuding audience who were annoyed at being left out of the discussion. Ino appeared the angriest of them all, but Sakura knew that was only because she'd wanted to see the dress.

That was until she met her eyes, her expression softening. "You found the one?"

She nodded, instantly divulging in the various ways she could describe how magnificent the dress was, paying no mind to the smile the two mothers shared between themselves.

"We refuse," one of the elders snapped.

"The clan will not fund such a provocative gown," said another, his chin the highest of them all.

"Oh, be quiet," muttered Ino under her breath.

"Actually," Sakura began and turned, hands coming to her hips defiantly. "I don't need you or anyone else to fund the dress – I can pay for it myself."

Witnessing their outrage and disbelief, which was complemented wonderfully with hidden smirks from the two mothers and Ino, filled her with pride and she wore it for them all to see in her grin.

"So, refuse all you want. _That_ is the dress I'll be marrying your heir in."

* * *

_She would be walking down the aisle in just five days._

In a bid to not overwhelm her with everything going on, Mikoto had kindly offered to start her lessons on etiquette and being the matriarch after the wedding. Ino had almost blown a gasket when she heard the offer – though not from anger. It'd been from the sheer force of how hard she had to hold back her laughter.

Others contested the proposal, suggesting that Itachi drop the training sessions and allow his mother to train her in becoming a 'better' woman, but much to her gratefulness, he flat out refused. When she enquired as to why, he stated simply that he enjoyed who she was – marrying a different version wasn't what he wanted.

And _damn it_, his words made her anxious flutters return at full force.

Sakura paused upon leaving her final shift as an unmarried woman, smiling at the sight of her team – the whole team – waiting outside for her. As expected of him, Naruto rushed her first, grinning wildly and tearing through an explanation of a two-day break before the wedding. Sasuke had approached more sluggishly, continuing when she looked to him questioningly and stating that it was the closest thing to a bachelorette party she was allowed to have (reminding her of Ino harassing the elders about allowing her a final night of freedom). Kakashi lingered in the background, waving his beloved book like it was a piece of evidence and adding unhelpfully that he was sticking around to ensure it didn't get too rowdy without adult supervision.

"Is this really okay?" she asked Sasuke when she was given her already packed rucksack, eyeing it sceptically.

Everything that regarded her (and Itachi's) input was already dealt with to the finest detail, ensuring nobody got a word in edgewise so that their unwelcome wedding was everything they wanted.

At her bordering on aggressive insistence, the clan was forgoing their usual clan florist, instead going with the Yamanaka flower store (also meaning Ino and her mother were fiercely guarding the bouquet and decorative flowers so that they were everything Sakura wanted them to be). All outfits were ready for the day (minus the minor tweaking the day of to ensure the best fit). All roles were handed out minus one that she _still_ couldn't decide on. The meals, the music, the RSVPs, the arrangements for the dinner, the reception, hell even the vows and blah, blah, _blah._ It was all dealt with. _Finally._

"Itachi assured them nothing untoward would happen," explained Sasuke with an annoyed huff, shouldering his own rucksack.

But they only agreed because of his presence. No doubt Sasuke had agreed to keeping his eye on her to make sure she didn't do anything to jeopardise their precious reputation.

Still, it wasn't worth getting upset over.

"I take it I can't go home and change, since you brought my rucksack to me?"

Naruto was grinning again, saying a cheerful, "Nope!"

"You won't need to," Kakashi added. Finally approaching them, he returned his book to his pouch, his eye crease unmistakable. "We're visiting _Yu no Kuni."_

_Hot springs._

Gods, she was certain her eyes had changed into love hearts, but she didn't care. It was exactly what she needed after the hellish month she'd dragged her ass through. Just the thought of those luxurious hot springs had her all but skipping on their journey, signing out at the station at the gates with a carefree flick of the pen.

"Is it true you're forgoing tradition?" asked Kakashi only half an hour into their walk, effectively interrupting her from assessing a fast-approaching tree and the herbs growing at its roots. Sakura told herself she'd catch it on the way back… hopefully.

She spared a glance up ahead once more and frowned at the casual set of Sasuke's shoulders. There wasn't a chance he'd missed Kakashi's words, but there was no reaction to confirm it, much to her displeasure. Unlike the elders, he didn't _have_ to turn up for the wedding preparations and more often than not avoided them, meaning she hadn't had the chance to ask for his opinion on the waiving of his clan's practices. Had she offended him like she had his parents and clan elders? Did he care about the Uchiha traditions?

"Yeah," she replied at length. Entranced by the emblem displayed with pride on Sasuke's back, she swallowed, adding, "Both Itachi and I believed it was time to start new traditions."

Nothing.

He didn't even hesitate or flinch or _anything_.

How was she supposed to take that? Did it mean Sasuke agreed, or simply didn't care?

"I see," he said thoughtfully. A hand came up to his masked chin, stroking it. "And here I believed he'd always been a traditional man."

From the minute dipping of Sasuke's head, she knew he'd thought so, too. Would everyone believe she'd bullied him into agreeing with her? Or that he felt he _had_ to agree? Sakura bit her lip worriedly. Mission or not, the last thing she ever wanted was to be labelled as a harsh, abusive wife – even something as seemingly simple as coercing a partner into following her ideals was abusive. Nothing was ever supposed to be forced.

"Neither of us want this arranged marriage," she admitted to him, loud enough for Sasuke to hear without missing a single syllable. "So we'd thought we'd fight the patriarchy and start making our own traditions."

"That won't last long," came Sasuke's flippant response. He didn't even bother to turn to look at them. "They will all grow tired of the defiance sooner or later."

Was that what happened to him? There was no denying that a year or two into being on the same team, Sasuke's attitude had done a complete one-eighty, leaving her unsettled and confused, because where had her friend gone? The one who leapt in front of attacks for his teammates without hesitation? Who took on the tougher guys even though he didn't stand a chance, just to try and save them a few extra injuries? Who pushed them to better themselves, even if he came across as harsh?

He'd been replaced, more or less.

Sasuke was colder. He didn't train with them as often – just enough to keep their teamwork above average. Didn't hang out with them as much, either. Like he was, in Naruto's words, suddenly too good for them. They'd see him around Konoha, of course, but always with other Uchiha. They tried talking with him about it, but nothing. He flat-out ignored them.

Had the clan gotten to him? Had the elders twisted his mind, just as the council tried to twist Tsunade's with their old-fashioned, bordering on barbaric ways? Were they just as controlling? Just as manipulative?

"I'm glad you're not wearing some stinking kimono that's older than Baa-chan," Naruto exclaimed with a grin. His arm fell around her shoulders, the height difference between them now never failing to astound her for a brief second. "It means you're not gonna conform, right?"

Conform? "Have you been speaking to Ino, by any chance?"

A sheepish smile told her all that she needed to know, but he confirmed her suspicions anyway, saying, "I overheard her talking to Hinata about your dress – she didn't go into details about it," he added quickly upon seeing her ticking brow, no doubt worried for his safety. "She just said we'll be in for a shock, because you refuse to conform."

That pig. It wasn't going to be much of a shock if she couldn't keep her damn mouth shut, was it? Still, the support she'd offered that day had been exactly what she needed to get through the tortuous event – it'd even aided her in slowly making amends with her mother, for Ino's presence alone had kept the stress at bay, especially when she went toe-to-toe with the elders with well-practised ease (later explaining that even her clan had interfering old has beens).

"It's not in our Sakura's nature," Kakashi said, smiling.

There was a scoff up ahead, one she planned to ignore, however Naruto's grinding teeth forced her to acknowledge it. She did so as subtly as possible, merely grasping his arm to grab his attention silently and shaking her head.

Sasuke was _not_ going to dampen her final few days as an unmarried woman with his foul attitude, Sakura thought resolutely. She was going to enjoy what could possibly be her final adventure with her team.

* * *

The hot springs were magnificent, to the point where Sakura debated slipping back into them for the last half hour before they closed for the night. However, she was already wrinkly enough from bathing for as long as she had – it was just so _nice_ to relax and pamper herself a little after the stressful month she'd gone through.

She returned to their joint rooms to find that a feast had been laid out for them all in the main room, though the boys had yet to return. It gave her the opportunity to run through a beauty routine she hadn't done in way too long, taking advantage of the handouts from the inn to treat her skin (which was thankfully un-wrinkling).

Five minutes later and the three men were entering once more, causing her to put down the moisturiser and leave her private bedroom to meet them in the main room, taking in their surprised features as they took in the feast. It really was a magnificent sight, boasting the inn's extravagance so greatly that even Sasuke had to stop and stare.

"Wow, these guys went all out!"

They certainly had. She made a mental note to thank them once more before leaving.

The main room wasn't the largest, but it was perfect for their four-man team, granting them enough leg room to comfortably sit at the table together without bumping arms or legs with each other.

Sakura wondered if the clan had picked the ryokan inn, for it was undoubtedly luxurious, complete with sliding doors and low tables with plush cushions for them to sink into. Personally, did she like the old-fashioned style? No, but she appreciated the beauty in its simplicity. She just wouldn't have it in her home, for she preferred brighter colours and more modern designs, though would most definitely incorporate the open spaces if she had her way. Being able to look out at the inn's gardens and pond was a highlight of her stay, without a doubt.

"It's so peaceful," gushed Sakura, pausing in her meal to savour the moment. Even Naruto's rounded cheeks that were stuffed with food was stored away with the pleasant moment, for it completed it, in her mind. "I'm really glad we came here."

"Are you-" Quickly swallowing when he was shot a dark glare for talking with his mouth full, he smiled sheepishly as an apology before asking, "Are you getting emotional, Sakura-chan?"

She had to put a downer on it, didn't she? Sighing, she lowered her chopsticks, only briefly looking in Sasuke's direction. "This…" Gods, just _thinking_ about what she had to say was making her choke up. How the hell was she supposed to actually say it? "This might be the last time we all leave the village together."

A sigh came from the man beside her, one that sounded weary from being weighed down with all the problems in the world and _Gods_, that single sigh had never sounded so _damn relatable._ For the past week alone she'd been doing nothing but and it felt like every sigh depressed her further.

"What?" exclaimed Naruto in his predictable fashion, all but lunging to his feet. It was their quick reaction time that secured the table and their food, keeping it grounded. "Like hell it is!"

"Keep your voice down, idiot-"

"Don't tell me to be quiet when our team's being ripped apart because of _your_ backwards clan!"

To say Sakura was shocked by the malice in his tone was an understatement, for out of everyone, she had wholeheartedly believed Naruto would _never_ be one to succumb to prejudices. However, there was no way around it or turning their backs on it, not when the room suddenly fell silent and Sasuke's jaw clenched, anger lighting up his dark eyes with a threatening flash of crimson.

"That's an awfully audacious thing to say."

She looked helplessly to her former sensei in the hopes that he would say something else to try and ease the thick, suffocating tension, but he disappointed her by remaining silent and waiting Naruto out.

"Well…"

Naruto visibly struggled continuing with his words, though Sakura couldn't tell if it was struggling to backpedal on what he'd let slip, or to better explain what he'd been trying to say in the first place. She _wanted_ him to take it back – that it'd been a mistake and something he'd said in the heat of the moment, but wasn't that worse? Didn't that make him just as bad as those who constantly bitched about the clan?

"Don't hold back on my account," muttered Sasuke coldly.

Much to her horror, he copied his position, standing next to Naruto but not fixing the distance between them, or lack thereof. Instead, he remained close enough to breathe on him, his glare sucking the air from the room because it _screamed_ the betrayal and the disbelief he was experiencing in that moment, despite the rest of his features being unsettlingly blank. It appeared that, like herself, he hadn't believed Naruto capable of such bigotries.

"Look, I didn't-"

"Didn't mean it?" Sasuke finished for him. "You didn't mean to repeat a slur the majority of the village uses against my clan?"

The blond scowled, but she wasn't sure if it was because of being interrupted or because he was angry with himself. "I mean, it's not the worst thing they say-"

Holy shit, it was neither.

"Are you being serious?" she couldn't help but demand, also standing. "What the hell are you saying right now, Naruto?"

"I couldn't care less if it's the worst thing or not." The tightening of Sasuke's fists lead her to walk around the table, coming to stand beside him in a show of support because _holy fucking shit_, was their friend truly that ignorant? "It's the fact that you, of all people, are repeating it without a second thought and using it against me to gain the upper hand in a situation I have no control over and want no part of."

And he didn't. Sasuke had no control over any of it.

Her chest squeezed tightly.

"Do you think I want her to marry my brother?" he snarled viciously, making Sakura flinch when he gripped Naruto's collar to yank him closer. "That I want either of them to be forced into a marriage and a life of unhappiness?"

"Sasuke-kun," she tried. She even tried to stand between them, gently covering his hand with hers and staring up at him intently, but nothing. He was too fixated on his anger. "Please, Sasuke-kun. Let go."

"I want her to continue being a kunoichi, being our teammate, just as much as you do," he continued and his hand shook with the intensity of his grip. "But she's not the only one being made to give stuff up – not that anyone fucking cares."

What?

"You think Itachi wants to get married and start having kids? That he wants to retire from ANBU and work for the police force?"

Green eyes widened and she looked down at Kakashi, who finally stood up with a sigh of resignation.

He was…?

"He doesn't want to lead the fucking clan – he doesn't even want to be a part of it!"

_What?_

"Enough, Sasuke," warned Kakashi.

"W-What?" she questioned meekly, tugging more insistently on his sleeve. "What do you mean he doesn't want to be a part of the clan?"

"That's a conversation you should have with Itachi-san, Sakura," Kakashi told her before he could reply.

He needn't have bothered. Sasuke was still glaring down at a fumbling Naruto, his eyes slowly bleeding red in response to the rampant emotions. Anything she said in that moment was unimportant to him.

"But you don't see that, do you?" he continued through gritted teeth. "All you see is your precious fucking Sakura-chan being forced into our backwards, inbred clan full of narcissists and power-hungry thugs, right? _Right?"_

They were all words she'd heard around the village _recently_, all in regard to the Uchiha clan – they were the tamest of the seemingly never-ending list, however. Prior to her engagement, she hadn't really taken note of any of it, just as she'd never noticed the hateful or uncertain stares that followed an Uchiha wherever they went, like people genuinely and irrationally feared for their lives when around them.

"Look, I'm sorry-"

She felt sick with herself for her own ignorance, because how the _hell_ could she miss something so devastating?

"You're _sorry?"_

Was it their ignorance that caused Sasuke to distance himself from them? To hang around his clansmen rather than spend time with them?

"I think we'll go and get some fresh air," Sakura suggested with a painful pinch of Sasuke's nerves, forcing him to release their friend. He stumbled upon being released, granting her the ability to step between them fully, tugging on the dark haired man's wrist once more to make him look down at her. "What do you say?"

"You-"

"I'm on your side with this one," she assured him without a second of hesitation. "And Itachi never said a word about how much he's giving up with this marriage – so _tell_ me. Give me the pieces I'm missing."

Her plea seemed to knock the anger down a notch and she swiftly took advantage of that, using his pause to manhandle him out of the room and leaving Kakashi behind to educate their ignorant friend on how wrong his words had been.

Whether Naruto believed them to be a big deal or not wasn't the point. It was his obliviousness to the bigger picture, to the blatant preconceptions that he so carelessly flung out there just because he was angry and wanted to hit Sasuke where it hurt. Was being called backwards really so bad? It wasn't her place to say, because she wasn't the one who constantly heard it about her clan – her _family and herself._

"I'm sorry he said that," she apologised earnestly once they were away from prying ears.

The baths were closed for the night, but they'd managed to sneak into the female's section, lifting their yukatas just high enough to soak their feet and calves in the hot water. It certainly aided in releasing some of the negativity in their systems, but she knew it was far from over for Sasuke. His heart wouldn't allow him to let go of the anger that'd been festering there for so many years.

_And she'd been completely blind to his suffering._

What kind of friend was she?

"Why are you apologising?"

"Because I'm not innocent either, am I?" she questioned rhetorically and looked out at the steam covering the area. Since they were tucked away on the far side of the bath, should the owners look out to check the area, they wouldn't be seen due to the amount of steam. "It's only been recently that I started to notice these things."

"Because of Itachi, right?"

Reluctantly and with great shame, she nodded. "When we walk down the street together, people don't…"

"They don't react to you in the way you're used to," he stated flatly and rested his arms on his thighs, leaning forward and closer to the water. "You're used to everyone approaching you without a care and being friendly, but with Itachi there, you've been faced with the opposite."

"How have I never noticed before?"

"Because you're Konoha's golden girl. Because you're the Hokage's apprentice. Because you're from a civilian background. Because you're blind and only want to see the good in things. Take your pick."

That was totally–

Fair, she realised after a second. It was totally fair.

She was so ignorant.

"Up until this engagement, I never saw…"

He nodded when she trailed off, saying a simple, "I know."

She wouldn't even be unaware enough as to state that it'd be all she would go through now, because her experiences wouldn't even be _half_ of what the Uchiha clan went through. Not even when she married into it.

Maybe the Uchiha Clan had every right to feel so against a village that did nothing but ostracise and degrade them? To want to feel at ease when they walked the streets, rather than oppressed or terrorised _just_ because of their surname? To want to make a _stand_?

Though, saying that, a coup d'état was taking it a bit far, wasn't it?

Was it?

Protests, Sakura understood and supported one hundred percent. Hell, she and Ino had attempted to create protests of their own regarding the sexism of their profession and how they were often overlooked simply because of their gender, because people assumed they weren't as serious as the men when it came to their work ethic. Did anything come of it? In terms of changes in their work environment, no. Not really. But having their fellow kunoichi as well as male comrades standing alongside them, supporting their strike by just being there and protesting alongside them, was _huge_ for them and it was something she would never forget.

Smiling wistfully, she asked, "Do you remember when Ino and I caused that huge mess for Tsunade-shishou with our strike?"

Sasuke snorted despite his awful mood, a faint smirk ghosting across his features and it eased a little of the weight in her shoulders. "Your strike caused a build-up of missions."

Everyone worked back-to-back missions for weeks afterwards, but nobody complained because they believed the cause was just. Well, the majority did. Chauvinistic arseholes didn't count, in her eyes.

"Shishou wasn't even mad," she stated with great pride, her grin unmistakable. "She said she would've joined in our strike if she hadn't been Hokage and all caught up in the council's strings." She glanced back to her friend, smiling at his more prominent smirk. "We showed that bastard council that half of those missions they deal out wouldn't be completed without us weak, emotional women."

"Aa."

She'd felt like a badass for weeks in the aftermath. Both she and Ino had and they'd lapped up the attention and admiration from their peers, using it to fuel their determination as they continued to go toe-to-toe with the council. Tsunade's head hadn't stopped aching for months due to all the arguments, but they got it. Not anything that would go down in history, but they got their recognition. The council admitted that they _needed_ kunoichi. It was a good starting place.

Looking to him out of the corner of her eye, with her lips curling slightly, she asked thoughtfully, "I wonder how the village would cope if their police force went on strike, too?"

He sat up straight at that, eyebrows raising fractionally. It seemed she'd captured his attention. "It wouldn't. As much as they slate them, the village needs someone to enforce the law."

Sakura nodded once and turned her gaze onto the starry night sky, admiring the twinkling that accompanied the half moon. "It'd be hell and we'd be surrounded by crime. The second new spreads that the police are on strike, opportunists will lunge and the village will be wracked with looters, thugs and murderers."

Shaking his head, he said, "ANBU would intervene at the council's orders…"

But her hum of thoughtfulness had him trailing off and frowning down at her. "I mean, one of ANBU's most respectable captains happens to be an Uchiha. And one of their most elite happens to be a powerful advocate for the clan, too."

"Kakashi?"

"Mmhm. I bet if they wanted to, collectively, they'd have a great fraction ANBU under their thumbs. What's the rest of them going to do against the whole of the Uchiha clan and most ANBU operatives?"

Sasuke shook his head again with a sigh. "It's an interesting thought, but we're getting ahead of ourselves. The clan-"

"Is infamous," she finished for him, shrugging when he frowned at her. "I mean, going off the history _before_ Konoha was founded, it was said the clan was capable of shaking an entire nation."

"You mean Madara's time," he argued. "The time that's caused all this shit we deal with today."

"Oh?"

"The elders of our clan speak of Madara like he was a god, but Itachi always said back then, the clan ran on blood lust and hatred. Using a word that is still used to this day about my clan, they were barbarians."

One of her eyebrows raised. "And what about the other clans that also fought for land? What about the Senju clan that continuously went up against the Uchiha?"

"Doesn't matter. In the eyes of everyone else, they were the saints. Their bloody past was wiped out by Senju Hashirama founding the village."

A pause.

"It wasn't just him who founded it though, was it?"

"It doesn't matter. Uchiha Madara turned on the village when he was consumed by the curse that plagues our clan."

She nudged Sasuke's arm with her shoulder, offering a small smile when he looked to her questioningly. Despite the loaded conversation, she felt peaceful and comfortable talking with him for the first time in a while, their voices lost to the night as they spoke quietly amongst themselves. "I think it matters."

"Why?"

"Because I'm a medic. Because I know _vaguely_ about your clan and its history. Because I'm a strong advocate for those with mental health issues – which is what the curse is, right?"

It took several moments for him to hesitantly nod once.

"There had to be _some_ good in Uchiha Madara for him to end the wars and co-found the village."

"They overlook that fact because of his tantrum when he didn't become Hokage and the ease of falling back into fighting for territory."

Oh? Was that Sasuke's way of agreeing with them? Did he view Uchiha Madara as a man who threw a tantrum? Watching him curiously for a second, Sakura decided she didn't know enough of the history of his clan to really have much of say, though she would rectify that issue once married to Itachi, if said marriage granted her access to the restricted Uchiha libraries. Would it?

It wasn't worth asking Sasuke about, not after such a heavy conversation. She knew him well enough to know that he would shut her out. Itachi, on the other hand, was pretty open with her-

Well, she thought he was.

"Sasuke-kun?"

"Hn."

"What you said about Itachi-"

His sigh cut her off, leaving her to frown up at him unsurely. "I shouldn't have mentioned it."

Damn it. He was shutting her out. Two heavy conversation back-to-back was asking too much of him, she knew, but she _had_ to know the truth. "But… if he's so against the clan, then why-"

"Leave it."

"But-"

"I said leave it," he snarled warningly, but she did not flinch when he glared down at her and shattered the once peaceful mood. Instead, she set her jaw, glaring back up at him with her own warning because _he knew_ she would fight back without issue. She wasn't a little girl anymore. "Don't bring it up to anyone. He could be labelled as a traitor to the clan."

…Shit.

Despite her inner conflict, she kept up her expression, refusing to back down first.

"Sakura," came his cold tone of authority.

_Fight it,_ she ordered of herself while getting to her knees and gaining herself the height advantage, if only by a few centimetres.

"I have a right to know what I'm marrying into."

"Aa," he relented but never looked away, their stare down intense as it weighed them down, stinking up the air with their clashing. "But it's not my place."

She laughed at that. Harshly and without humour. "You think I can get information out of someone like your brother? When I have to fight him just to find out where we're dining?"

He smirked at that. "Aa."

He…!

"You're cold," she accused with a pout and dropped her anger, going back to sitting with her feet dunked in the hot water.

His smirk widened. "Good luck."

* * *

"I'm sorry."

Standing as referee with arms folded and foot tapping, she impatiently waited the pair out, just as she had throughout their intense spar.

In her eyes, Sasuke had every right to refuse to forgive his oldest friend, for Naruto had hurt him in a way _none _of them had believed possible for the blond. Yes, they fought often and sometimes got vicious with their words and sure, Naruto wasn't overly fond of the Uchiha clan, but they never stooped to that level. Never. For Naruto to go there was unforgivable.

However, the likelihood that their idiotic teammate had only used the term 'backwards' in the heat of the moment, not truly understanding the implications, was so very high. He was an idiot, after all. One who could get just as emotional as she could.

"How's it going?" asked Kakashi lowly as he came to stand by her side, book in hand. "Do they need healing?"

She huffed at that. "You missed a lot of the action, Sensei."

"Ah. So it got heated."

Understatement. _But_, they'd both agreed that after that spar, they would put the past few hours into the past and leave it there – she still wasn't entirely sure it was possible, however. Sasuke was _hurt._

They were both in tatters, their clothing being no better and she was glad that they'd decided to go out into the forest for their spar, especially when they'd started using the bigger jutsu that had the earth quaking for miles, unfortunately damaging the wildlife in their wake.

"I'm really fucking sorry," Naruto said again with a more desperate tone, brows mashing together.

Were they…?

He was tearing up!

"You were right – of all the fucking people, I have no right to… to…"

"Idiot."

She looked away with a small smile when Sasuke responded with his somehow affectionate name for the blond, his shoulders sagging as he said it.

"Looks like our work here is done," Kakashi stated with a smile.

Her smile dropped and she whirled on him, glaring angrily. "_Our? _You disappeared!"

* * *

The rest of their trip was spent relaxing and exploring, since the only times they visited _Yu no Kuni _was when they were passing through to travel somewhere else. They never got the chance to truly experience the wildlife that resided there and Sakura procured several rare herbs with a happy smile, telling her indifferent team why they were so rare (at least for Konoha, they were).

Enjoying their time as much as they were, they even took the risk in putting off their return by a day. They still left the inn, thanking the owners wholeheartedly for their hospitality, and camped for the final night in the forest close to their village, acquiring provisions for their meal along the way.

"Two days," Kakashi piped up as they sat around the campfire, enjoying the warmth of the fire Sasuke had started for them, listening to the sounds of the nocturnal animals surrounding their little clearing.

She sighed and leaned back on her hands, staring into the fire while envisioning the day for the umpteenth time because try as she might, she could not get it out of her head. Sakura was fairly certain that it was down to it being a modernised wedding, complete with the first kiss as husband and wife in front of the entire audience, along with a first dance and she just…

Damned butterflies, she thought with a hint of hopelessness.

_Why did it all sound so appealing?_

"Are you nervous?" questioned Naruto after her single nod to Kakashi.

"Terrified."

She felt more than saw Sasuke's eyes on her and she struggled to meet his gaze, not wanting him to see how scared she was of not only marrying his brother, but potentially _enjoying_ it.

"I know Itachi-san can be difficult to speak to, but surely he isn't that bad?" asked their former sensei with a low chuckle.

"No, no. He's not bad to talk to, he…" She swallowed hard and allowed her gaze to drop to her folded legs, sitting up straighter while absentmindedly picking the stray pieces of grass and debris from her hands. "Itachi's shown me so much kindness since the engagement and so far, he's always put me before himself." Finally looking to Sasuke, her brow puckered helplessly and she asked, "Does he always do that? Will he ever be honest with me about what he's going through himself?"

It seemed her words unsettled him a little, though she was certain that was because of the other two being involved in the conversation. "My brother is a hypocrite," he said flatly after a few moments of tense silence. "He wants to help everyone with their problems, but refuses to share his own burdens."

How the hell was she meant to figure out what was happening, or what needed to happen, if Itachi couldn't trust in her enough to tell her what was going on with him?

Damn it. Had she even scratched at the surface yet?

"So…" continued Naruto awkwardly when they fell into silence once more. Nudging a log with his foot and causing the fire to flicker as it adjusted to the new positioning, he asked, "Is everything sorted with the wedding?"

"Almost." She was enraptured by the embers from the fire, watching with fascination as they flew upwards into the dark sky, looking so incredibly elegant. She'd always thought fire was beautiful, even though it could cause the most horrific damage. "I have one last fitting."

"Itachi said you hadn't decided on who to walk down the aisle with."

"Oh?" hummed Kakashi. "Isn't that right usually reserved for the bride's father?"

Usually. Hers, however, did not deserve that right and his behaviour the past few weeks solidified her thoughts. Even Itachi had been stunned by her father's indifference to her impending nuptials, always bringing up the topic of her status as a kunoichi like he could sway someone like Itachi. She'd warned her father that he was going to push him into the opposite decision if he wasn't careful, but he'd laughed her off and told her to stop being ridiculous.

Shockingly, she'd been the one to silence Itachi from arguing and telling him it wasn't worth it.

"I'd rather walk myself down the aisle than have him do so."

"Why?" asked Naruto. He frowned as he settled himself down more comfortably on his sleeping bag, choosing to lay on his side with his head resting in an upturned palm. "Isn't the dad supposed to give away the bride or something?"

Green eyes rolled at that, but she didn't show her annoyance too greatly, instead settling for saying with only a _hint_ of displeasure, "He gave me away the day he agreed to the proposal on my behalf."

"Sakura-"

"I know, I know. It's against Itachi's wishes too," she said at Sasuke's sigh of annoyance. "But do you know _why_ they agreed, Sasuke-kun?" At _all_ of their silence, she sat up straighter, looking him dead in the eye as she said, "They want me to retire and start having babies. That's why. According to them, I'm wasting my life away."

"I heard about that," murmured Kakashi. Bending his knees, he slung his arms over them, back slouching further. "It's the norm for civilians, isn't it?"

That irked her, but she knew he didn't mean it negatively towards her. "But I'm _not_ a civilian."

He smiled placatingly. "Never said you were."

"But someone has to escort you, don't they?"

She didn't see why they had to. She was perfectly capable of walking herself down the aisle and meeting her groom at the altar. Why did somebody _have_ to give her away like she was nothing more than an object to be claimed?

Still… The thought of walking alone seemed… lonely.

"Not necessarily," Kakashi answered Naruto for her, no doubt noticing her indecision. He'd always been able to read her and that thought was confirmed when he went on to say, "You've always been your own person."

When she remained silent, Naruto chirped up with a grin. "We could always escort you, y'know. All three of us!"

That was an interesting thought, but she highly doubted the clan would allow that. Besides, Sasuke had to remain with his parents since he was part of the main family – to show unity or some shit. He had to act like he was okay with it all while silently praying he wasn't next to be forced into a marriage.

Briefly, Sakura entertained the thought of having Tsunade herself escorting her, but quickly dismissed the thought. Not only was she Hokage (making it extremely inappropriate) but she would refuse outright for the simple fact that it would make the target on Sakura's back even larger. It also ran the risk of ostracising her before she'd even stepped foot in the district as Uchiha Sakura.

Gods, what was she supposed to do? Walk herself down the aisle? Have her team escort her? Go all out and have her shishou do it? Go batshit crazy and have Kyo escort her?

_What was she supposed to do?_

* * *

**A/N - Firstly, I want to assure you all I'm okay! I've been receiving quite a few messages and some reviews asking me to update everyone on my current situation. I'm fine, I promise.**

**Secondly, I took so long to update because I needed a break from the internet for a while. I'm really sorry for not warning any of you. My mental health is pretty shit right now, but I'm finally receiving weekly therapy sessions, so fingers crossed.**

**Last but certainly not least: that was a legitimate question at the end of the chapter that I want all of you to answer!**

_**Who should walk Sakura down the aisle?**_


	17. As Long As You Don't Forget

**Chapter 15 – As Long As You Don't Forget**

_Two hours._

That was how far away she was from walking down the aisle.

She hadn't seen Itachi since her return when he'd politely enquired about her trip and whether she enjoyed herself. The conversation had lasted minutes before he was excusing himself and since then, she'd been on strict wedding procedures, allowing beauticians and clan elders to poke and prod at her either physically or mentally. Either way, it was seriously draining, and she was kind of glad Itachi didn't see her in such a worn-down state, especially considering her only spare time was spent packing.

Her once homely, relaxed bedroom was difficult to navigate with all the boxes and bags of storage scrolls and Sakura had to admit it was sad seeing her childhood bedroom boxed away. Even though she wasn't taking infantile items with her, they were still put away at her parents' request.

It was strange how final that made the wedding feel – packing, she meant. Their telling her to make sure nothing was left lying around was like saying she no longer had a home to return to. They would be making other uses of what was once her bedroom. She questioned what her parents had planned for her old bedroom if they requested that she packed everything, but they never said a word.

They would no doubt be given their space not long after saying "I do" and she understood that they would be presented with the key to their new home after the ceremony. In preparation of that moment, she had a storage scroll set aside with enough clothing and toiletries for the next few days, until she rounded up her friends to move her belongings. The thought of entrusting her possessions to strangers didn't sit well with her.

Sitting down on her stripped bed, Sakura glanced around her bedroom with a solid weight in her chest. She couldn't – _couldn't –_ cry, because when she did, her skin always, without fail, became blotchy and her eyes puffed up. So, she kept a stiff upper lip while mentally saying her goodbyes to her childhood bedroom, a part of her mentally crying out that it wasn't just the bedroom she was saying goodbye to, but also her old life.

As of that day, she was Uchiha Sakura.

A croaky meow brought Sakura out of her sombre mood and she offered a tender smile to the large cat, who responded by standing up against her knees, reaching up with a swell of concern that flooded through their connection.

"I'll be okay," she assured him gently. "It's just sad moving on."

Another meow.

Smiling again, she couldn't help but feel comforted by him, his emotions unignorable. "Do you remember the plan?" she asked while stroking his head. "Follow me back to the new house, but if you can't, don't stress. Come back here and I'll come for you."

It was her way of testing how great his tracking skills were – the best way to start was to have him track _her_, rather than setting him a task straightaway that could blow the whole mission.

He tried grabbing her hand again, but even though he tried to do so as gently as possible, his claws still caught her, and she noticed it frustrated him. "Don't worry, okay? We'll get there, no matter how long it takes." Sakura ached for him as she continued to feel his self-doubt and she condemned the heartless monsters who'd abandoned him. "If it doesn't happen, then it doesn't happen. I'll love you regardless."

How anyone could abandon their companions – whether they were ordinary pets or ninneko or ninken – was beyond her and she couldn't understand the cruelty of it. Her stance on the whole thing was that if a person couldn't promise a forever home and unconditional love, then they were not cut out for the responsibility of having a companion period and had no right in giving the animal false hopes.

Kyo's abandonment issues shone through his loving gestures, for the moment she got up or showed any intention of moving away, he would jolt slightly. It also showed in his determination of successfully completing all tasks she set out for him, to the point of stressing himself out.

But, more importantly in that moment, she could sense his fear of being left behind.

"If you're not by my side by midnight, I'm coming for you," she swore fiercely and lowered her head, allowing him to rub his to hers. The responding purr was loud and unmistakably happy, and she smiled sadly. "I'll never leave you behind, Kyo. I swear."

"_Sakura? It's time to start getting ready."_

Kissing the top of Kyo's head, she gave him one last stroke before standing, offering her mental apologies through their connection. "Coming."

* * *

_Twenty minutes._

In twenty minutes, she would be walking down the aisle.

And she was quite possibly having a nervous breakdown.

Shaking out her hands in the privacy of her dressing room, Sakura inhaled deeply and slowly, exhaling with the same steady pace. It was doing little to settle her nerves, but what else could she do besides run away? Because that _was_ a viable option, her mind repeated.

It didn't help that she could sense her father standing outside. Her mother had left after seeing her in her full wedding ensemble complete with hair and makeup, repeatedly telling Sakura how beautiful she looked. Kizashi had also seen her and she knew he was furious with her choice of dress – perhaps another reason for her nerves.

What would everyone else think of it? What would the clansmen do when they saw Itachi in a tuxedo rather than the traditional montsuki? How would they react to the dress? Gods, what if they walked out or stood up in protest?

No. Focusing on what ifs was no good and would only stress her out further. Sakura knew she had to focus on the practical worries rather than hypothetical, as Tsunade had told her so many times in the past – she just struggled in doing so.

"_What are you doing here? You're supposed to be at the venue,"_ she heard her father's disbelieving snap. It caused her to pause in her pacing and frown over in the direction of the door, heart skipping a beat as she imagined who it could possibly be.

Contrary to what her father believed, he was _so_ not walking her down the aisle and because she hadn't been able to decide on who should do so, Sakura had taken that as a sign that she should walk alone. Of course, he was having none of it, meaning she would have to put him in his place on the way _again_.

"_We're here to escort Sakura to her wedding."_

The voice had her lunging towards the door and flinging it open, heart in her throat at the sight of the three men standing opposite her father.

"You…"

Sasuke was the first to meet her eye, head tilting slightly. "We're a team."

"So we thought that we should be the ones to escort you there, even if it's not down the aisle," added Naruto with a grin.

_No, don't cry,_ she begged of herself, breathing deeply like that could control the rampaging emotions, but when she released the breath shakily, she felt part of her composure slip.

"Don't cry," Naruto warned, knowing exactly what was going through her mind. "You'll get those black smudges down your face."

"That's not helping," she shot back in a pitiful whine and quickly dabbed beneath her eyes. Gods, they'd spent so long on her makeup and had done a marvellous job, so even though she'd paid for it, Sakura knew she would still feel guilty if she ruined it.

At the approach of her former sensei, she looked up at him helplessly, asking, "Can I really do this, Kakashi-sensei?"

"Well, you kind of have to," he said while scratching at the back of his already messy hair, smile sheepish. "Everyone's already there in their smartest attire and in their seats. It'd be rude if you didn't turn up now."

Right. Yeah. _She_ was the rude one.

"Plus, I hear Hokage-sama is sober right now."

Oh. He'd been joking the whole time.

Gods, she was wound so tight to miss one of his blatant jokes.

She looked around Kakashi to Sasuke, asking, "Itachi…?"

"Already there."

She felt sick. Like she was about to throw up kind of sick, not mere nausea. And for the seventh time since they'd painted them, she stopped herself _just_ as she almost bit down on her nail out of a nervous habit.

"You might as well go and join Mom," Sakura told her father offhandedly. "I told you already that you're not walking me down the aisle."

He was well and truly outraged like he had been the first time, glaring at her with his expression twisting into a scowl. "It is my right-"

Like hell it was!

Sakura growled under her breath when he forcefully took her arm, attempting to make it bend and accept his. And that goddamn _respect_ that she'd grown up with damned her, refusing to allow Sakura to remove it using brute strength, like she would have had it been anyone else.

"Oi, let go," she snarled, fury intensifying when she stumbled in her heels. "You're going to ruin-"

"Is that any way to handle your own daughter?"

It was said so nonchalantly, resembling the way he tilted his head to the side to glance down at the older man to assess the situation and Sakura's breathing _stopped_ when Kakashi finally shifted in his stance, deciding that it was serious enough to garner his whole attention.

Although he was smiling, she knew _that_ particular smile as the one he presented his troublesome clients with when they pissed him off and he didn't want to be disrespectful and outright argue with them about it. To her father, for a few moments at least, it was just another smile, but she knew that it was him somehow asserting himself as the dominant one, the clashing testosterone making the air unbreathable when her father _finally_ got a clue.

"This is a private matter between family-"

"Then you won't mind my involvement," interjected Sasuke smoothly and she saw Naruto's slack jawed response to it. "She is marrying my brother, after all."

"Sasuke-kun…"

"We're family, too."

Grinning, Naruto linked his hands behind his head and grinned. "Go take your seat, old man. We're her escorts."

Not "giving her away", but escorts.

She smiled.

As always, her boys gave her the strength she needed to face a particularly nasty foe and she tapped Kakashi's arm, silently telling him she could handle it.

"This is _my_ wedding day."

She pretended not to notice her teammates looking between them with hints of uncertainty in their gazes (knowing how emotional she could be and no doubt wondering how to prevent a potential breakdown), because she seriously didn't need the extra nerves on top of what she already had. Already, she was frightened of sweating too much and ruining her wonderful dress or worse, causing sweat patches (not that they were really noticeable with white lace).

"You gave me away the moment you forced me into this – you're not having this moment. I'm starting this chapter of my life without you."

"You…!"

Was she harsh? Yes. Was it irrational? Perhaps to some. But as she continuously said: Kizashi did not have the right to give her away and even if the wedding hadn't been arranged, Sakura was certain she would've made the same choice. His true colours were disgusting and impossible to ignore and she didn't want him tainting her big day.

"We need to get going." Kakashi was smiling once more and pretending like her father hadn't uttered a word.

He held out his arm and it wasn't until that moment that she took note of all her boys wearing matching modern tuxedos rather than kimonos, telling her they'd planned on walking her to the venue all along. She hadn't asked them to and not wanting to take the choice away from anyone, had actually informed all guests to wear what they felt most comfortable in (as long as it was formal attire), but the fact that not only Kakashi and Naruto, but Sasuke also – the same Uchiha Sasuke who hated disappointing his parents and clan – was wearing a tuxedo meant the world to her.

The lump in her throat returned twice the size as it had been earlier. "Aren't your parents going to be angry?" she asked softly.

"The clan elders more so."

But for her – not just her, but Itachi, too – he was willing to piss them off. It was his way of saying he was on their side.

"Go," she ordered of her father as sternly as she could while dissolving into an emotional mess. "You're making me nervous."

But he wouldn't budge, snapping, "I am your father, Sakura. You-"

"Are walking away now," stated Sasuke simply and he came between them, gesturing to Kakashi with a tip of his chin to lead the way. "If you want to see your daughter get married, then I suggest you get there before we do. I heard there are clansmen stopping people from entering after Sakura so that the ceremony won't be disrupted."

Part of her did feel guilty over pushing her father out the way they currently were, but she shut the emotion down quickly, because as she'd already said: he was not ruining her day. It was a day she didn't want, but hers nonetheless and nothing was going to ruin that.

_She was about to get married._

Her makeshift dressing room wasn't all that far from the venue, which was out in a field that had been freshly mowed and watered a few days prior, leaving the grass a startling shade of vivid green, complemented by the flowers scattered around. Of course, there'd been minor complaints about that, but it was actually one of very few things Fugaku had agreed with her on, simply because he was thinking logically of how many guests were attending. Should the wedding happen in a regular venue, then they wouldn't be able to seat a quarter of the guests. He'd stated simply that it wasn't a typical Uchiha wedding.

Despite their harsh words, they gave her father a head start, her eyes nervously meeting each of theirs.

Naruto's softened. "You look amazing, Sakura-chan."

"I second that," Kakashi told her and she felt a little of the weight on her shoulders slip away when he gave her arm a gentle squeeze. "Although seeing you in a wedding dress _does_ make me feel old."

"That's because you are old," she teased half-heartedly.

"Your cruelty knows no bounds."

She knew he hadn't taken it to heart for there was a playful smile creasing his eyes. "So," she added in the same teasing tone. "What happens after we get there? Are you guys walking down the aisle like you're my bridesmaids?"

Just as Naruto's eyes widened comically and he readied himself to shout _like hell_, Kakashi intervened, saying, "I don't see why not."

"Nothing about this wedding is traditional, after all," added Sasuke, indicating to their attire.

Blushing, she glanced downwards at the length of her dress, the sight of the mermaid-styled skirt once more boosting her confidence since for the first time in her life, she felt like a woman (as in, for the first time, it was _obvious_ she had curves). It trailed behind her for at least two feet and perhaps seeing her flash of concern, Naruto moved behind her and carefully (she was surprised that he could display such delicacy for anything that wasn't Ichiraku's ramen) lifted the train, holding it at a wary height.

"This okay?" he asked.

Sakura smiled. "Perfect."

They were there. Three of the most important people in her life. The team that had witnessed the horrors of a kunoichi's life – of _her_ life because of being a kunoichi – and had been there to see her growth and have a hand in helping her grow. They'd been through more or less everything together and now, they would be escorting her to the new chapter in her life. She honestly couldn't think of anything more wonderful than that.

"We should get moving," Sasuke said while coming to stand on her other side.

For a brief moment, he seemed almost unsure of himself, his arms remaining rigid by his sides until she reached out and looped her arm through his, tugging him a step closer to her.

"What the hell have you got on your feet?" Naruto demanded suddenly and she felt her cheeks burn.

"Heels, idiot," she snapped over her shoulder. Self-consciously shifting in her footing, she tightened her hold on both men, demanding, "So don't let me fall, okay?"

It warmed her heart when she felt responding pressure from both sides – a gesture that was followed up perfectly by Naruto's heartfelt, "Never."

And then they were walking.

Remaining calm was a difficult feat, to the extent where her breathing techniques failed miserably to ease her nerves. Flutters had exploded in her stomach to the point of making Sakura feel nauseated as they threatened to tear her apart and, on their sleeves, she felt her palms sweating embarrassingly (she sincerely hoped they didn't notice, though thankfully they were in all black aside from the red ties – her favourite colour, she noted happily).

Luckily for her, the stylist had pinned her hair up to prevent it from hiding the detail of the back of her dress (meaning the back of her neck could relish the light breeze that swept by them), leaving her bangs down and parted, along with a few randomly curled strands of hair to frame her features, bringing out the delicate angles wonderfully.

_Heel first, then toe,_ she reminded herself, recalling the lessons Ino had given her.

While Sakura was used to wearing mid-sized heels, her wedding shoes were on a completely different level. Literally. And walking on an unsteady dirt path in the forest was _hard._ They gifted her with an extra five inches of height and although she knew they would cause a horrific ache in her feet later, she couldn't _not_ wear them, for the lace detail matched her dress perfectly and when the boutique attendant showed them to her, she'd instantly fallen in love.

She heard the guests before reaching the field and Sakura felt her heart rate increase exponentially, the once relaxed grip on the two men's arms tightening. Although she noticed them both glancing to her before meeting the other's eye above her head, she couldn't look away from her destination, which was just on the other side of the trees.

There were so many people, to the point where their collective chakra was overwhelming to her senses – and she wasn't even a sensory type – and increasing her apprehension. They were talking amongst themselves, though somebody must have announced her arrival because suddenly a hush swept over the gathered guests and her stomach twisted painfully just imagining them all standing to greet her.

As he entered her peripheral, she damn near told Naruto to get back there and pick her dress up once more so that she could make a run for it, her made up eyes wider than usual as she met his sincere gaze.

"This is it," he encouraged lightly.

She…

"Want us to wait?"

_Yes._

Sakura shook her head despite her constant internal screaming, offering her team a watery smile.

_She…_

"Go," she insisted, swallowing down the panic blooming in her chest.

_This is it._

However, she…

They left her one by one with their own personal good lucks, though Sakura didn't fail to notice the way Sasuke's eyes lingered on her trembling form, like he knew exactly what was going through her mind, or perhaps worried about what could possibly be going through it.

Gods, she felt sick with nerves. Even the chūnin exams had nothing on getting married in front of what was more or less the entire freaking village.

Bringing her hands to her front, Sakura wrung them until a terrifying thought swept through her mind and caused her to blanch.

_Where the hell was her bouquet?_

"Oh my God," she whispered, desperately glancing around the area.

It hadn't been in her dressing room – she knew that much. Her mother had believed she was too forgetful–

Eyes going wide, she looked to the floor towards the edge of the forest, breathing out a deep sigh of relief as she found her bouquet waiting patiently for her at the end of the trail. But just as she went to grab it, she spotted a small handwritten note and Sakura frowned, picking the two up together.

_Sakura._

It was her mother's handwriting, she noted belatedly.

_I know this may mean little to you by this point – my actions were severe and there is no way to justify how terribly I have betrayed you – but please know, I am truly, unbelievably sorry._

_Please don't allow our selfishness to plague you in your marriage with Itachi-san._

_I hope you can find happiness and one day forgive us._

_I love you._

_-Mama._

Mama. Gods, it'd been years since she'd called her that.

Lowering the note, Sakura glanced out at the field, canting her head to the side like it would grant her the ability to see her mother through the crowds, but as she'd already known deep inside, it was possible. It seemed she wouldn't be able to speak to her about it until after the wedding when they were alone, but…

Sakura folded the note and spared a quick glance around herself before slipping it into her bra.

After the wedding and celebrations were over, she would find her mother. Getting married meant a new start and… and despite how badly she'd been hurt, Sakura knew deep down that she couldn't be mad at her forever.

Her father, on the other hand, had done nothing to try and earn her forgiveness, instead he was way too happy trying to gain brownie points with Fugaku, in addition to choosing to pick at her and _attempt_ to bully her into decisions. Perhaps one day they would make amends, but in that moment, Sakura wanted nothing more than for him to disappear out of her life.

The quiet whispers of the crowd captured her attention and she realised she was taking too long to make her entrance.

"This is it," she repeated Naruto's words.

_Deep breaths,_ Sakura told herself. _Don't rush._

The march played by a piano was slow and elegant, and Sakura did her best to ensure she _didn't_ clench her jaw when everyone turned to watch her arrival with gasps of surprise or delight.

Was the bouquet really for nervous brides who fidgeted, rather than a mere accessory? Because hers sure as hell did a marvellous job of keeping her from doing so. It also helped in keeping her shoulders set when she held them at the position Mikoto had instructed her to, and Sakura knew that benefited the dress, accentuating the curve of her spine and, in turn, the faux buttons that travelled down the length of it.

The guest list was insane, Sakura noticed and found after only a few moments that she couldn't look through everyone gathered there, for if she did, she would certainly turn and run because _holy shit_. There were way too many people. Way, _way_ too many. And because of how many there were with the added bonus of not a single one of them looking familiar in the slightest, the aisle was ridiculously long, much longer than she'd anticipated and the pretty petals scattered in place of a carpet did nothing to ease her knotting stomach.

Sakura came to an abrupt stop at the top of the aisle, swallowing nervously as it continued to grow, seeming to stretch out nauseatingly until she couldn't even see those at the other end, the sheer distance making her head swim.

_She couldn't do it._

She couldn't marry Itachi.

Tears threatened to fill her eyes as everyone continued to stare – would have, had she not been so goddamn stubborn.

Murmurs swept through the crowds, leading her to glance through them all despite her internal warnings not to, heart freezing in her chest when she _finally_ managed to spot several of her friends. If she focused hard enough, she could see the outlines of six people at the altar, her teammates looking between each other worriedly as they stood on her side. No doubt the guy on Itachi's was Shisui, her rampaging mind told her.

"_What is she doing?"_

"_Is she gonna run?"_

"_Oi, pay up. I called it!"_

"_Can't blame her for looking scared, the poor thing. Look at what she's marrying into."_

One of the blurred figures standing at the altar disappeared just as they caught her attention and Sakura's eyes widened in shock when Itachi suddenly appeared by her side, his hand coming to her lower back when she jumped. To block the rest of the world out, he placed himself between her and the crowd, expression growing gentle.

Having him by her side allowed Sakura to tune out the majority of the harsh whispers and judgemental stares, for she knew he was experiencing the same anxiety deep down – he just wouldn't show it and Gods, she'd never envied him more for that perfect composure than in that moment.

"Why walk alone into our new lives, when we have already agreed to support one another through this?" he asked softly, voice lowered for a small amount of privacy. With his back to their guests, the corners of his lips lifted in a smile just for her. "May I walk with you into our new lives as husband and wife?"

Support.

Understanding.

Companionship.

Sakura smiled at the waiting arm, her own slipping through his certainly and without pause, hand holding tenderly onto the crook of his elbow. It was astonishing how his kindness eased some of the fear in her heart, granting her the strength she needed to continue the walk down the dauntingly long aisle.

It even gave her the ability to truly admire the hard work that had gone into preparing the location, the intricately patterned, rustic benches complemented by the flowers and vines that twisted throughout the bars, alongside the small, somewhat thin potted trees which had wisteria hanging from the branches resting at the end of each line, creating a border down the aisle.

While she'd chosen her bouquet, she'd left the other flower arrangements down to Ino and her mother – and they most definitely didn't disappoint. The choices were perfect, their symbolism of new beginnings, friendship, patience, and encouragement not lost on Sakura and she murmured the meaning to Itachi as they walked, not missing the subtle softening of his gaze.

The real masterpiece had to be the huge flower arch waiting for her at the altar, its elaborate design taking her breath away, because how could such beauty be made for her? She couldn't take her eyes off the wisteria that matched the flowers in colour, and Sakura wondered if anyone would even take note of her and Itachi when the handcrafted decoration was so beautiful.

Ino and her mother had outdone themselves.

Risking a glance into the mass crowds of guests, Sakura searched valiantly for her best friend and when she finally, finally caught sight of her, she did her best to convey her gratitude and adoration with one look alone. Much to her happiness, Ino knew exactly what she meant, her nod and expression of pride evident – the look mirrored when she nudged her parents, ensuring they wouldn't miss her silent thanks.

"You're breath-taking."

The unexpected, murmured compliment took Sakura by surprise, refusing to allow her to focus on finding those she cared for in the crowds. Glancing up at Itachi, she blushed when she found he was already looking down at her, though part of her couldn't help but wonder if he was being so open with everyone, or if she'd learned how to read him just a tiny bit.

He was equally beautiful, but she questioned if it was due to his emotional openness with her now rather than his appearance. Nonetheless, the sight of him in his tuxedo, with the tie matching the flowers in colour – flowers that reflected in his eyes when he looked upwards in admiration – left her in a state of awe.

"So are you," her heart responded before her mind had the chance to think of something more eloquent, and she didn't care in the slightest.

Although he didn't smile outwardly, she could see the warmth in his eyes. It was a warmth that repeatedly caught her attention, even as they came to a stop beneath the wisteria and she belatedly acknowledged Shisui standing to one side (as ring bearer, he had to remain close to keep the service moving swiftly), and her teammates lined up neatly at the other, pointedly ignoring the glares the elders sent their way, since they weren't supposed to be there (their defiance and support appreciated massively, especially since Sasuke would receive hell for it later).

The minister officially began the ceremony and while previously Sakura had worried about the guests not being able to hear him speak, in that moment, she couldn't have cared less.

_This is it._

_It's really happening._

She was officially getting married for the sake of a mission, for the sake of her village.

Gods, the nerves were back in full force, but Itachi apparently sensed the escalating anxiety because when they turned to face one another to say their vows, he reached out for her hands and gave them a discreet comforting squeeze. In response, she entwined their fingers.

"I, Uchiha Itachi," he began, unknowingly causing her stomach to twist with a kaleidoscope of emotions she couldn't comprehend, "take you, Haruno Sakura, to be my wife and my partner in life. I vow to cherish you and our friendship, to trust you and to honour you, today, tomorrow and forever. I will treasure you faithfully throughout the best and the worst, through the difficult and the easy. I will stand by your side no matter what may come our way." Lifting their joined hands, he murmured, "As I have given you my hand to hold, I give to you my life to keep."

Would she even be able to speak? Sakura seriously doubted it. Her throat felt frustratingly tight – frustratingly because she _knew_ it was due to her getting emotional. But… How could she not? Regardless of it being for the sake of a mission, she was still getting married. She was still devoting herself to Itachi, just as he was her.

"I, Haruno Sakura, take you, Uchiha Itachi, to be my husband and partner in life," she vowed when the minister instructed it was her turn, commending herself on keeping her voice level and clear. "Today, I give myself to you in marriage. I promise to encourage and inspire you, to laugh with you and comfort you in times of sorrow and struggle. I promise to cherish you in good times and bad, when life seems easy and when it seems hard, when our bond is simple, and when it is an effort. I promise to support you and stand by your side faithfully." She couldn't look away, their gazes remaining locked and for a few tender moments, she forgot about their audience. She forgot about expectations. She forgot about her mission. "These things I give to you today, and all the days in our life."

There were several sniffles in the audience – her cue to return to reality – and she struggled to hold back her sheepish smile.

"Now, for the rings–"

"That won't be necessary."

Blinking owlishly a few times, Sakura could only stare at her shishou in wide eyed shock as the woman stood from her place beside her parents on the front row.

What was she doing? Had she found enough evidence regarding the clan's supposed coup d'état to get her out of the marriage?

Whispers and shocked gasps erupted throughout the crowd and no matter how quiet they were individually, collectively, they were unbearably loud, leading Sakura to unknowingly tighten her hold on Itachi's hands.

If her shishou _had_ found evidence, why hadn't she mentioned it? Why would she leave it until the ceremony to–

Holding out a hand to Shisui's form that had frozen halfway through removing the rings from his pocket, Tsunade presented her own extravagant case, one that boasted the Senju's emblem proudly.

She wasn't stopping the wedding, Sakura realised, though the anxiety didn't lessen in the slightest. It couldn't. Not when she couldn't understand what she felt about that.

"These rings are an heirloom of my clan, dating back to my great-great grandfather," Tsunade explained and the audience was silenced, no longer seeing her interruption as scandalous or disrespectful. "Before my grandfather passed, he gave them to me in hopes that one day, I would find someone worthy of sharing not only these rings, but my life with. As many already know, that time has passed for me."

Her heart went out to her shishou, but more than that, she admired her bravery in attempting to talk of her lost love in front of so many people. Usually, Tsunade was a reserved woman who disliked displaying weaknesses, meaning she disliked opening up about her heartbreak.

Approaching the altar with their nods of consent, Tsunade continued, saying lightly, "I have no biological children to pass them onto, however, Sakura, you are the closest thing I have to a child and I know Grandfather would approve of my choice of sharing them not only with you, but to also use them as a symbol of unity with the Uchiha Clan."

"Hokage-sama," she heard Itachi murmur under his breath in shock.

"This is what our Shodai Hokage always wanted – peace and unity in the village he co-founded with your clan." Stunning them further, Tsunade bowed her head and held the rings out, requesting, "Please, take care of them and each other."

Squeezing his hands, she gently pulled away from Itachi and approached her shishou, assessing the older woman's features for a moment in hopes of expressing her gratitude clearly enough for her to see. And when Tsunade smiled warmly, Sakura knew she had succeeded in doing so.

They were beautiful, Sakura marvelled when the case was opened, Tsunade returning to her seat once they'd taken the other's ring. His was heavy and thick, with little decoration other than the diamond encrusted borders that wound around the whole ring. Whereas hers, she noticed, was a thin band that boasted a large, sparkling diamond in a shape that vaguely reminded her of their Byakugō, only less defined and more curved. Then, as though that huge diamond wasn't elaborate enough, there were three leaf-shaped diamonds coming out on each side.

Once instructed to do so, they each slid the ring on the other's finger, and she hoped he took no offence to the shaking of her hands.

"With the power invested in me, I now pronounce you husband and wife." The old man smiled politely, adding, "You may kiss the bride."

Those butterflies returned demandingly, and Sakura's breath caught when he leaned down without hesitation, hand coming to cradle the side of her face delicately and guiding her to tilt her head back for him.

It was the first time they'd kissed or shared any form of intimacy since their mission and much to the annoyance of her mind's conflict, her heart rate burst into a sprint the moment their lips met, no doubt recalling how intensely passionate he'd been.

_And she was…_

The kiss was soft and chaste, nothing more than a few mere brushes of their lips considering it'd be inappropriate to go any further, but _Gods_, she found herself wanting to, inexcusably aching with the want.

_She was married to Uchiha Itachi._

Uchiha Sakura.

It was… surreal.

In her mind, she'd continuously told herself she still had over a month until Doom's Day and with how hectic the past couple of weeks had been, it'd all passed in a whirlwind of lace, flowers and menu plans. All she had were the ten minutes alone time to prepare for the walk down the aisle, but even that had slipped by way too fast for her liking.

That moment kissing him was her first breath of fresh air and she brushed it off as the wedding finally being done, as a load of stress falling from her shoulders. That was why time had finally slowed down for her.

Settling a hand on his chest to steady herself, she gently withdrew, offering a small smile when he took said hand and entwined their fingers. She wondered if they would always remain so publicly affectionate, but soon chastised herself for thinking so ridiculously – it was their wedding! Being affectionate was kind of expected of them and was a one-off.

They turned to face their guests at the insistence of the minister and Sakura would never deny feeling a little overwhelmed when they stood and applauded them, though she continued to smile and look through the crowds, trying to thank them all with that look alone. There were so many people that she sincerely doubted she'd make it through them all at the reception, especially considering those on duty would be attending that evening.

Walking back up the aisle hand-in-hand with Itachi was much easier now that the wedding was over and done with, though the pessimistic side of Sakura was warning her of it being far from over. The celebrations were expected to go throughout the night, but she suspected she and Itachi would be permitted to leave early for… well, being newlyweds.

She met Itachi's gaze at the end of the aisle, and she wondered if she imagined the flash of astonishment in his eyes, the one that mirrored her own.

They'd done it.

_They were married._

* * *

As Sakura expected, there were way too many people to greet and thank and she felt incredibly rude excusing herself from the brief two minute conversations they'd been instructed to have.

After their wedding dinner, which was tense and uncomfortable due to sitting with all of their parents (and Sasuke) and having nothing to say to one another, she and Itachi were required to converse with the guests and spent the better part of the following two hours doing so, much to their exasperation.

Similar to the ceremony location, the reception was elegantly decorated, and Sakura wondered if there'd been a group dedicated to the task for the duration of the wedding, because the majority of the stalls hadn't been there that morning. It was more like a festival than a reception and it appeared no expense had been spared, though why she'd expected any different when it was such a huge wedding was a mystery to her.

From decorative lighting to ensure the party went on all night, to bunting lining the streets with the Uchiha emblem spotted across them every so often, to lavish stalls with food and drinks that never ceased to flow, along with games to entertain, it certainly was excessive, to the extent where a part of Sakura felt so undeserving of it all. Music played through the streets and wherever she looked, people appeared to be having a good time, dancing and laughing. She kind of wished she could join them in their enjoyment.

"How are you feeling?"

She looked up at… Sakura breathed out a shaky sigh.

Husband.

_She was married._

When would the novelty wear off? She wondered if it ever would.

"Overwhelmed," Sakura admitted, accepting the glass with a sigh of relief and taking cautious sips.

They'd been given a generous five minutes of downtime before resuming their small talk with the guests – if one could even call it that – and she was determined to spend that five minutes wisely. And by wisely, she meant somewhere hidden, where she could catch her breath and relax, because smiling all goddamn day had caused the _worst_ cheek strain.

Nodding in agreement, Itachi glanced out at the busy crowds, saying, "While I knew how excessive the reception would be, I failed to envision myself as being a part of it."

That was her problem also, Sakura believed. Nerves had definitely troubled her throughout the build up to the wedding, however it'd been easy to distance herself, in a sense, until a few days before when it'd really set in. Even while people indicated their excitement and gratitude of being invited, it didn't really worry her.

Moreover, due to being so busy, she'd been unable to spend a moment alone or doing anything that wasn't wedding-related. She wished she'd had the chance to discuss the situation with Tsunade fully, so that she'd know what the older woman was thinking.

Itachi's ring caught her eye and Sakura nursed her drink while watching it.

What was her shishou plotting? There was no mistaking their being heirlooms because they were obviously old pieces of jewellery, their silver cleaned a few too many times to sparkle the way they possibly once had. Also, on closer inspection, it was clear to spot the replacement of the tiny diamonds that bordered Itachi's ring, as well as her own. They weren't the original stones.

"Uchiha Sakura," she murmured thoughtfully.

She hadn't sat down since dinner and the arches of her feet burned viciously, but as much as she longed to, Sakura knew she couldn't take the risk of dirtying her pristine dress by sitting down in that moment. The brightness of the white lace was intimidating to say the least.

"You don't like it?" he asked while coming to stand closer to her side.

Hesitating for a moment, Sakura decided to take the risk in leaning against him, smiling in thanks for his support. "It's not that I don't like it," she assured him quietly, unable to meet his eye. "It's that… This is real."

"We're married."

"…Yeah."

And she didn't entirely hate the notion.

"What about you?" questioned Sakura softly.

"I believe I am going through the motions."

Yeah, she got that. Like they were on autopilot.

A delicate arm wrapped around her waist to better support her when Sakura leaned more heavily into Itachi's side and she sighed.

"You really…" She smiled shyly, the warmth spreading across her chest enough to make her pause and savour the moment. "Thank you. For walking with me, I mean."

"It may not always seem that way but know that I will always walk with you."

Frowning, Sakura tilted her head back and to the side, assessing his calm features as he watched the passing crowds who were oblivious to their presence. What had he meant by that? Why did his words cause a deep seated unease in the very pit of her stomach? Sakura wondered if he was referring to her status as an active shinobi and more than anything, she wanted him to elaborate on what he'd said to ease that gross feeling.

However, luck was not on her side for just as she opened her mouth to question him, a sheepish Shisui blocked out the lights of the party when appearing in the mouth of the alley. His entrance caused Itachi to sigh, arm already retracting though his hand remained on the small of her back, ensuring she was ready for the support to be taken away.

"Forgive me," he apologised with that same smile. "They want you back out there. It's almost time for your first dance as husband and wife."

She would have to corner Itachi later about the deeper meaning to his words – no, she instantly shut the thought down, reprimanding herself mentally for the rash thinking. It would seem suspicious of her to hold onto what he'd said, wouldn't it? Like she had a reason to be wary of him. After all, just because they were married now, that didn't mean she was in the all-clear and she had to continue being careful of giving him any reasons to distrust her. Stealth and judiciousness were paramount to the success of her mission and the safety of Konoha.

Rather than completely taking away his support, Itachi allowed her to link their arms once more.

"May I ask why you chose those shoes?" he asked once Shisui left, keeping his voice moderately low. Combined with the music, their conversation was successfully kept private. "It appears they are causing you pain."

Her smile spoke of her embarrassment, but still, she had no regrets. As long as it wasn't obvious that she was struggling, or as long as it didn't look like she couldn't walk in them, then she was happy. "I like beautiful things."

"Even though you are struggling to walk?"

"Is it that obvious?"

"No," he relented. The corners of his lips tugged upwards briefly when he met her eye. "However, I have spent the majority of the day with you now and have spotted a few tells."

_Duly noted_, she thought uneasily. Sakura knew she would have to be careful of her expressions or tracks now that they were married and living together. If she wasn't cautious, he would foil her mission within months, if that.

"Hopefully no-one else has," she said, trying to laugh it off. Glancing around and returning smiles and waves, Sakura asked, "Should we head to the centre for our first dance now?"

"It will most likely take us a while to get there," he agreed with a sigh. "Setting off now would be best, lest we wish to anger our parents."

"As much as they tried not to, it seems like they were enjoying themselves," Sakura noted lightly, recalling Mikoto's small smile during the ceremony – it'd been half the size of her mother's, but filled with equal levels of love and warmth. Their fathers had also been a tad more lenient than usual, even after she'd disrespected her own only hours ago by refusing his giving her away.

He nodded once. "Then it would be prudent to keep them in good spirits."

Without a doubt.

As Itachi had predicted, they were intercepted many times on their way to the centre of the party, each conversation running along the same lines of, "Congratulations", "How does it feel?", and her personal favourite, "You make the sweetest couple". Granted, it was the older generation who said that (and Ino, Shikamaru and Kiba – teasingly), but it still counted, in her eyes.

"There you are," her mother admonished breathily. Sakura was shocked by the strong scent of sake coming from her, but then she spotted Tsunade only a few feet behind them at a table filled with empty dishes, waving her hand at a nervously sweating bartender. "You nearly missed your dance!"

Wow. Going off the smell alone, Sakura would have sworn that her mother had had more than her fair share – perhaps plenty of the others' also – yet she never swayed in her place, never stuttered or hiccuped or showed any of the signs of someone who was inebriated. From the brief exchange she shared with Itachi, she could tell he was impressed too.

"Forgive us," murmured Itachi. "We were thanking our guests."

"This is the last of your duties," Fugaku stated from his place closest to the entrance, his eyes drawn to the escapades of his comrades.

His expression was less cold, Sakura noticed, though it certainly wasn't inviting and it showed in the way guests happily greeted her mother and avoided Itachi's parents altogether. The same could be said about her father, however. His sour expression seemed to terrify the children present – she couldn't really blame them.

"Go and enjoy your first dance."

"Is that an order?" Sakura enquired, tempted to smile.

All she received in response was a huff. Apparently, it was a good response, because a ghost of a smile crossed Itachi's features before he was guiding her to the very centre, the music fading into a slower song upon their arrival.

It reminded Sakura of the movies she and Ino watched, where coincidences happened every two minutes and not a single person questioned them. It was so similar because Sakura herself didn't question the parting of the crowds who were suddenly watching their arrival, or the music switching. She told herself that somebody, somewhere, must have been waiting for their arrival, knowing that it would be soon.

Hands settling on Itachi's shoulders and his politely on her waist, they began a slow, boring dance, her gaze sweeping through the audience of gawkers. She'd never felt more exposed before and the thought of it all being an act took away some of her positive emotions from only moments before.

"This isn't awkward in the least," she murmured with lips that barely moved.

He nodded with a very slight dip of his head. "It feels impersonal."

Her thoughts exactly.

It was like they were animals on display in a zoo who also happened to be part of a breeding programme. They were paired together because of their qualities by those who'd raised them, and when those carers deemed them ready to do so, they were put together in hopes that they would breed for some cause or another. And their current audience were like the voyeurs who were eager to see the action of two poor saps trying to keep their kind from going extinct.

That was… their marriage in a nutshell, wasn't it? To the Uchiha Clan, anyway. To try and bring their clan back from social isolation (perhaps even social extinction, if she was feeling dramatic enough to label it as such), they were hoping she and Itachi would have a perfect marriage and make powerful babies. They'd essentially offered up their heir to prove they weren't against mixing their blood with non-Uchiha, believing him to be the perfect candidate.

Wait, was that why they chose her? Not solely due to her social standing and status as Senju Tsunade's apprentice, but because of her skills?

Going off Kakashi's struggle to maintain the sharingan and her knowledge of it consuming far too much of his chakra, Sakura surmised that it was her chakra control that piqued their interest. Perhaps even her Byakugō no In. If that _was_ the case, then did they believe her reserves and control on chakra was a way for future children to combat that, should they manage to master those techniques?

The shifting of the hands on her waist brought Sakura out of her head and her cheeks flushed, smile sheepish.

"Sorry," she told him. Like his, her hands shifted, their dance gaining a fraction of more intimacy as she dared to step closer slightly, arms looping around his shoulders. Sakura didn't fail to notice their audience lapping it up. "I've barely gotten any sleep these past few weeks – it's catching up on me."

"We don't have to stay much longer," he informed her softly. "Before the ceremony, I was handed the key to our home."

_Our home_. It was still so crazy.

"You're only just sharing this now?" she teased lightly.

"And have you attempt to coerce me into leaving early?" He smirked down at her, eyes warm and Sakura _cursed_ those stupid butterflies as they turned in their dance, his hands remaining polite though his thumbs _did_ dare to stroke her back.

"Only attempt?"

"Do you believe I am easily swayed?"

She made a show of thinking about it, a playful smile playing along her lips while doing so. "Maybe."

"It seems exhaustion truly is catching up on you," he murmured, continuing to smirk. "It may be best to go home, then."

Was he flirting with her? Seducing her? It felt like her heart skipped a beat. "Why's that?"

Yes, he definitely was, Sakura decided when he leaned forward, stunning her and sending a pleasant shudder down her spine when he closed the distance between them entirely.

"We must be prepared for tomorrow," he whispered softly while they danced, his lips almost grazing her earlobe in what no doubt appeared as an intimate gesture, but was in fact a move she quickly discovered was meant to hide the movement of his lips. "We will have a fight on our hands."

It shocked her, since the Uchiha Clan was so traditional and classy. Flirting shamelessly while participating in such open displays of affection was a completely new side to not only them, but Itachi too. And she could see that others felt the same way also, because they were all staring in surprise or, in her best friend's case, awe. Even her teammates seemed shocked.

As much as she longed to, Sakura didn't pull away, instead breathing out a soft, "Eh?"

"I made a decision in regards to your status as a kunoichi."

Her heart stopped.

That time, she couldn't resist pulling back to look at him, eyes wide and hopeful, hands balling into fists on his back.

"Although you have much to learn, having you retire would mean weakening Konoha exponentially."

She couldn't breathe. "I'm…?"

He smiled softly. "You are remaining an active shinobi."

"Itachi… I…"

There were no words to express her gratitude. Eyes searching his for a second, she tried to spot even the tiniest hint of deceit, but there were none and the moment she realised that, Sakura was dragging him down to her height and meeting him halfway in a kiss, blocking out the applauding crowds of voyeurs.

_Thank you, Itachi. Thank you!_

* * *

**A/N - This fluffy chapter is dedicated to one of my closest friends. Happy birthday, Vadergirl102! Thank you for being your stunning self and always supporting me, hyping me up and inspiring me! I love you!**

**Can I also say this:**

**Holy fucking shit. 51 reviews?! You guys are amazingly insane and I don't think you realise how much that means to me or how much I really needed your kind words this past week. Honestly, I was kinda scared of putting this story out there since it's about arranged marriage, feminism, prejudice etc and I know people are a bit iffy when it comes to those topics. I thought people would haaaaaate it and send flames. But I'm so so so happy to see you're all enjoying it! You guys have seriously made my day. Thank you! I love you all!**

**Also, to those asking for links to Sakura's dress: you can find it on my Pinterest. Username is Rise of the Blossom (riseoftheblossom) and it's under the board 'TSOYH'. You can also see some of the decorations I had in mind, alongside Sakura's hair, makeup, dress, the rings etc.**

**Last chapter, I asked you all who you wanted to walk Sakura down the aisle and the responses both here and on AO3 had so many wonderful ideas, so I thought I'd try and incorporate as much as I possibly could.**

**Thank you all for inspiring me!**


	18. Who's Got the Power

**Chapter 16 – Who's Got the Power**

How could she have neglected how easily Itachi would spot the connection between herself and Kyo? Or how intelligent he seemed? It wasn't a minor detail to overlook – it held the potential to blow her cover.

Leaning on the fence of the porch while still in her wedding dress (though the heels sat by the front door, leaving her barefoot), she anxiously awaited Kyo's arrival. The rest of Konoha was still partying – they could hear the raucous laughter and music even from their new home way inside of the district – and despite once being a social butterfly who'd thrived when surrounded by her comrades and having a good time, she was grateful to be away from it all.

The home gifted to them by his parents was nothing short of excessive (far greater and easily surpassing her childhood apartment), the design an odd yet somehow appealing mixture of traditional and modern, proven in the porch that stood out sharply even on the quiet street they'd been moved onto. Their front door was a typical sliding door found on every Uchiha residence – no, she noticed upon closer inspection. It _was_ a sliding door, but the wooden slats were carefully placed to cover the completely glass doors, granting them privacy and simultaneously creating the illusion that it was a traditional set up.

While Sakura had been so determined on fighting them every step of the way and demanding that _nothing_ be old-fashioned, she was pleasantly surprised by how much she liked their home. Well, the outside, anyway.

So far, due to not going inside, the only modernised difference she really noticed was that they had a porch, whereas the main family's home opened straight onto the street. That'd always been a disliking of hers. Personally, she longed for distance between her home and the busy streets of the village (or, which was now the case, the district).

"Sakura," Itachi called from the door, making her sigh. "You have not viewed the house yet."

No, she hadn't, and she wouldn't until Kyo was by her side. She'd made a promise to him that she would wait, a promise she fully intended to keep.

"I'll be in soon."

A sigh reached her, and Sakura frowned when Itachi appeared by her side, copying the stance of leaning against the wooden fence that bordered around their porch. To the far left of them were several huge plant pots that were already bursting with colourful life and as her eye once more caught sight of the flowers, Sakura made a mental note to water them in the morning.

"Why would Kyo know to come here?"

Hiding the truth from him wasn't going to work. Not now that they were living together. She couldn't risk Itachi growing suspicious of her and accidentally uncovering the true mission, so sharing the truth about Kyo was her best course of action. Sakura simply hoped she didn't lose any of his trust because of her secrecy.

Repressing the urge to groan with being caught out so early, she faced forward, eyeing the deserted streets. It was eerie how quiet the usual bustling district was, like everyone had vanished.

She had to fight back a shudder upon realising that had been a possibility a decade ago.

"Do you remember when I took him to see Hana-san?" Out of her peripheral, she noticed Itachi nodding once before following her example, their gazes searching the area surrounding the front of their home in search of Kyo. "Well, she said that Kyo is actually a failed ninneko." Silence. She took that as a prompt to continue. "So, for the short time that I've actually spent with Kyo and not away on a mission or stuck in meetings, I've been trying to boost his confidence and prove to him that he can trust me. His last…" Sakura shook her head, forehead pressing to her folded arms on the fence. Her sadness was legitimate, the weight of his betrayal too heavy on her heart. "His last companion abandoned him when he failed to learn fast enough."

"When were you intending on revealing this information?"

Glancing up at him, she tried to read his features, not surprised in the least to find that Itachi was closed off from her. As expected, their open displays of affection during the wedding and reception had been for show and now that they were alone, he was back to his stoic mask. Foolishly, part of Sakura missed the affection, even while knowing it'd all been fake.

She wondered if he was mad at her, or if she'd gone and destroyed the fragile trust between them.

"I didn't know whether I should until he showed signs of improving," Sakura replied quietly. "According to Hana-san, he's extremely sensitive about it."

"Cats are proud," was all he said.

She nodded, then smiled ruefully. "Thing is, I don't have the faintest idea what I'm doing or how to help him. This morning, I stupidly gave him the task of tracking me down by midnight, forgetting that he's probably never been able to do anything like this before."

Would it work in her favour is Kyo _didn't_ find her? Would that eradicate the apprehension Itachi was no doubt feeling? If he didn't find her, they could potentially brush the whole thing off and move on from it.

…Right?

Peering up at Itachi, she frowned at the pensive expression marring his features.

"Are you mad?" she asked quietly.

Surprise flitted through his now-clear eyes and he looked to her, raising a brow. "Mad?"

"That I kept it from you." The wooden porch was painted white, making a part of Sakura sigh with annoyance as she realised how much upkeep that would entail. Though, she supposed she ought to be grateful for the modern porch, since that meant they were taking her likes into account. "I never meant to – no, I _did_, but I just…" She smiled weakly for a brief moment before the frown returned. "I want Kyo to trust me and I thought the best way to do that was to give him the chance to privately train, you know? Without the pressure of others knowing, too."

There was a quiet sigh from beside her. "No, I'm not mad."

"Good," she replied, unable to keep the sudden, genuine tremor out of her voice. "Because I'm starting to worry about him."

Even if he possessed suspicions about her intentions of keeping Kyo's past a secret from him, Itachi thankfully trusted the sincere concern that was wrapping around her heart with a vice-like grip.

"We should change before searching for him to try and remain undetected by well-wishers," suggested Itachi and he pressed away from the fence, extending a hand to her that Sakura didn't realise, until that moment, she was incredibly grateful for. "Chances are the reception will disorient him."

She hadn't even considered that! What were the chances of Kyo growing frightened from the noises? From the crowds of hundreds (possibly even thousands) that cluttered the streets? Guilt threatened to outshine the concern but thankfully worked to double down on her heart, the fear her companion was potentially feeling in that moment sickening her.

Shaking her head with disagreement to his instructions, Sakura tried to tell him, "I only packed one storage scroll with enough for the next few days and it's not even on me. Kyo has it–"

The hand holding hers gently pulled her along, but it was Itachi's words that interrupted her. "I was going to present you with them tomorrow before the meeting with the clan elders, but now is as good a time as any."

From the brief glimpses she caught of the home from the entrance, Sakura noted that it possessed a delicate balance between modern-day and traditionality. Rather than shoji doors and windows, they had fully glass paned _everything_, reminding Sakura of her parents' home and how freeing it was to open the balcony doors of a morning, listening to the village come to life.

Finding her voice was suddenly impossible for Sakura when they entered what she presumed to be Itachi's study, the sight of the numerous scrolls, the katana display unit and the Uchiha emblem proudly on display behind the desk stunning her. It was the two display busts that truly silenced Sakura, however, for they each presented tailor made jōnin uniforms. Like the wall, they each boasted the emblem of his – _their_ – clan on the arms of the sweatshirts, only Itachi's was slightly different, for it signified his place on the police force. While it may not have seemed like much to others, to Sakura, it meant…

It meant acceptance. Acknowledgement. New beginnings.

"You really meant it," she couldn't help but whisper, approaching her new uniform with trembling fingers.

_She was remaining on active duty._

"Of course," Itachi responded. "I wouldn't lie about your future."

Her grin and thanks were interrupted when she glanced upon a clock, the sight of it almost being midnight kicking her back into her fears. "We need to hurry," Sakura told him. "They're setting fireworks off at midnight – they might scare him."

"If he is a ninneko-"

"He's _not_," she stressed, struggling valiantly with the zip on the back of her dress. "Not yet. Right now, he's an ordinary cat who needs us."

_What the hell had she been thinking?_ Why had she tasked him so unfairly? Had Kyo even been around her long enough to familiarise himself with her scent? The only thing – _the only damned thing _– keeping her from completely dissolving into a hot mess was her connection to him. That would lead Sakura to him if she focused hard enough, though part of her wondered how she would do that with her husband's ever-watchful gaze on her.

"Relax," came Itachi's softly spoken order. Gentle hands stilled hers, easing the zip down without issue and leaving Sakura to exhale in relief. "We will find him."

There was no hesitation on her part in stripping down, ignoring Itachi's eyes as she stood in his study clad in the lingerie Ino had _insisted_ was a must for the wedding night. "_Even if nothing happens,"_ her best friend had supplied while they shopped. "_At the very least, you'll feel empowered knowing you look hot as hell both in the dress and under it."_

And Sakura would have, had it not been for her stomach-churning anxiety about Kyo's well-being. His reaction was amazingly raw, stoic mask slipping and rewarding her with his desire. Whether the public displays of affection were fake or not, _that_ wasn't. Sakura could tell that it wasn't. It couldn't be.

Ignoring the responding flutters, she quickly dressed in her new uniform, shoulders rolling as she assessed the fit, considering it'd been tailored. Overall, it was comfortable and lightweight and whereas she usually preferred her skirt (it was quicker than going through the tedious wrappings around her calves), she now wore jōnin standard-issued pants.

Sakura debated how likely Itachi's offence would be if she were to return to her trusty old skirt as she settled the wrappings down on his desk, allowing her pants to remain untucked and loose around her calves. As well as that, the flak jacket was placed back onto the bust since that also wasn't necessary.

"Are you ready?" she asked, peering over her shoulder in time to watch Itachi pull on his sweatshirt. Like herself, he decided to forgo the flak jacket and wrappings.

It looked as though her carelessly draping the wedding dress over his desk pained him, but Sakura refused to give him the chance to put it away neatly. Just one look at the clock had her grabbing his hand and yanking him back out of their home, inspecting the deserted streets critically.

Kyo was nowhere near them. She knew she'd be able to sense him if that was the case.

"Calm yourself," Itachi instructed quietly. Adjusting their hands, he entwined their fingers to offer her reassurance. "If you wish to go about this rationally, then first, we need to consider where Kyo may have gone. Regardless of his status, he started out as a ninneko. That could equal parts play a part in hindering our finding him just as it could aid in the search."

He was right. Breathing in deeply, she released the emotions threatening to overwhelm her with the exhale. If she wanted to find Kyo quickly and before the fireworks, then Sakura knew she needed to be at her best. She couldn't let her emotions go to her head. They needed separating.

Using Itachi's hand as an anchor, Sakura once more assessed the situation – this time, with a level head.

Kyo hopefully understood that they were moving to the Uchiha District and from how much time they'd spent with Itachi, she hoped he was able to recognise the emblem from the back of his shirts, as the district had the unmissable uchiwa at the entrance gates.

_However_, with it being on the outskirts…

"We'd be best off checking my house – my parents' house – first. If he's not there, we can track his movements."

"You believe he would leave a trace?"

How many times was she going to tell him before he believed her? "Kyo doesn't know how to cover his tracks like a ninneko can – he's a semi-ordinary cat right now."

"Ordinary cats run and hide when scared," Itachi informed her. "Some show aggression."

Kyo had only ever shown aggression towards her father – probably because he picked up on the horrific tension between them. Other than that, it appeared as though he didn't have an aggressive bone in his body. Would that change with appropriate training? Maybe. But until then, she couldn't see him attacking or showing signs of aggression. Not even if he was scared.

"Let's go," she ordered.

He wasn't at the apartment, but the storage scroll she'd left in the corner of the balcony was missing, telling Sakura he'd started his mission.

"The chakra signature is faint," Sakura pointed out when Itachi asked what she'd found. "But the fact I can pick up on it at all tells me he's been here in the past hour."

"You don't doubt it."

She frowned at that. "Should I?"

"No." Lips twitching, Itachi faced their partying guests on the street below them. She hoped, more than anything, that they wouldn't notice them but the likelihood of their encountering the guests was growing steadily greater. "I'm impressed."

Impressed that she refused to doubt herself? Or her findings, at least? Well, Sakura supposed it _was_ a difficult feat. Had it not been for her connection with Kyo, would she have felt as confident? It was an interesting thought, but fortunately _just_ a thought, meaning she could squash it and focus on her task at hand.

Hands gripping the stone wall of her old balcony, Sakura narrowed her eyes, looking out for any signs of his movements. Kyo had a habit of clawing his way up to the balcony, but she _knew_ he was capable of leaping up and down from it without causing harm to himself. Checking over her shoulder, Sakura assessed the building itself for fresh scratches, but there were none.

"He jumped down, maybe?" she thought aloud.

Odd, considering his preferred choice was to climb down, but she supposed that meant he was trying to train more as a ninneko and nurturing his control on chakra. Agility was one of Kyo's strong points, so Sakura did not allow herself to linger on the possibilities of him being hurt.

However, if he _was_ hoping to train more as a ninneko for the duration of his mission, then that meant he would avoid the crowds, especially since he was carrying a scroll of her belongings. So, that being said…

"There," Sakura pointed out to Itachi, approaching the marks on the ledge of the wall. Short, faint scratches marred the natural stone and going off the way they faded towards one end, then… "He took to the roof."

Itachi agreed, then pointed to more scratches just beneath the guttering. "He struggled making the leap."

The worry caused her heart to lurch, however she shoved it aside. She couldn't allow herself to baby Kyo, for it would only hold him back. For him to succeed, she had to be strict (though not heartless). She could not ooh and awe over every mishap but instead offer encouragement and reassurances.

Without a word, Sakura leaped onto the roof of her parents' apartment, casually searching inside all the nooks and crannies to assure herself Kyo hadn't panicked after his mishap and hidden, too stressed or worried to continue any further. Much to her astonished pride, he did not. Instead, it looked as though he'd actually headed in the right direction.

"It seems he's going towards the district," Itachi noted.

On top of the apartment building, they were able to catch the very tops of the stone walls that encircled the district, the emblem unmissable as it stood out sharply both on the walls and the oversized gate. If Kyo had jumped onto the chimney, then he would have easily been able to spot it.

Turning back to Itachi, she was unable to lose the proud smile, heart palpitating with excitement for her ninneko. "He's doing it."

"You said earlier that you were worried you weren't teaching him correctly." After her nod of agreement, he added with a ghost of a smile, "Have you heard of Nekobaa?"

The name alone brought forth a rush of pleasant memories to Sakura and she smiled widely, chuckling at the reminder of their having to wear cat ears and how utterly adorable Sasuke's grumpy face had looked in them. It was certainly one of the happier missions she'd taken in her lifetime and she felt a surge of nostalgia, because back then, it'd been so easy. Life was simple and pleasant, where her greatest concerns was getting the boy she loved to notice her.

"She was once our client," Sakura explained. "We had to collect a pawprint."

Her words seemed to both intrigue and amuse Itachi, but apparently he wouldn't share why with her. Instead, he said, "Nekobaa has extensive knowledge on ninneko. If anyone would know the best way to train or communicate with a specific ninneko, then it would be her."

That sounded incredibly, dangerously risky – the main reason being that Itachi wasn't aware of her being connected with Kyo via their chakra. What would happen if he found out? He'd already looked surly at the discovery of his being a ninneko.

"It's worth a shot," she responded eagerly to try and hide the deceit, or at the very least throw him off if he _was_ suspicious.

"Let's move," Itachi directed. He glanced to the sky, then to the crowds slowly traipsing to the centre of the party. "They are getting ready for the fireworks."

Shit.

The pressure was intense, and Sakura found on multiple occasions that she had to just _stop_ and think carefully, because she knew that in her rush to find Kyo, she was missing potentially vital pieces of evidence. It was hard trying to remain professional when the mission they'd set themselves was so personal, however.

From their positions on the rooftops, they witnessed many lights blinking off a section at a time, the music still as loud as ever and serving to hype up the crowd some more as they lingered in their anticipation, eagerly awaiting the promised extravagant firework show. Part of Sakura envied them – she adored fireworks – but she couldn't leave Kyo alone, not when she didn't know whether they scared him or not.

"I-"

_Miaow._

Sakura all but vaulted from the last building, landing silently in front of the district. Heart in her throat, she watched as Kyo glanced around unsurely, his tail bobbing and showing his emotions. She wanted to alert him of their presence but observing him as he worked was fascinating to her and she reached out, taking Itachi's hand to still him too.

They didn't utter a word. Didn't make a move. She kept her eyes trained on Kyo, the determination filtering through their connection now that they were close enough (Hana had told her it would grow stronger over time – they simply had to nurture it) causing her to smile.

_He was doing it._

"The fireworks–"

Realising they had less than a minute to retreat, Sakura approached Kyo with an air of pride, startling him for a moment until he bounded towards her, scroll held carefully in his mouth.

"You did it," she praised happily, crouching low and stroking his head. "I'm so proud of you, Kyo!" He looked to Itachi in a way she knew to be questioning and she assured him gently, "I'm sorry for betraying you by telling him, but don't worry, okay? This isn't going to add more pressure. If you want Itachi to stay out of training, or if you think he can help, tell us in some way and we'll work it out, okay?"

Perhaps deeming that as a good time to approach, Itachi did so, standing over them. "Let's go home. The fireworks will be starting soon."

_Home._

Nodding, she straightened and looked to Kyo, still so incredibly proud of him for making it all the way to the district.

"Let's go home," she repeated, pushing her unease aside.

* * *

The pressure was on.

Laying back in the bed she _shared with her husband_, Sakura swallowed hard, trying and failing to smother the sudden nerves that wracked her body.

While she'd known the wedding night had the potential to be uncomfortable, she'd never considered the chance of being so on edge laying next to Itachi – no, not on edge, but unsure of what to do with herself, because there were many expectations on the wedding night. They'd already had sex multiple times and already shared a bed, sure, but not since their mission, leading her to believe that was the only reason why they'd even had sex.

Kyo was exploring his new dwelling and with him being so close, Sakura could sense that he was currently out back, enjoying their garden now that the fireworks were over and the party dwindled to an end.

The _thunking_ of a bamboo fountain and their even breaths was all she could hear for the longest time while staring up at the ceiling. She used the fountain to level her breathing when it threatened to quicken or grow shaky from nerves, hoping it would also work to send her to sleep.

It didn't.

Glancing to Itachi from the corner of her eye, she saw him copying her previous example of watching their ceiling. His expression was smooth, but she knew that tranquillity was a lie. He _had_ to be feeling as anxious as she was.

"Would you like some tea?"

If she'd had any expectations for her wedding night with Itachi, it certainly wasn't sitting on the veranda at two in the morning drinking tea and watching Kyo as he prowled through the garden beneath the stars, his behind shaking in preparation for a lunge whenever he spotted an insect or animal worth munching on.

It was a wonderful garden – her first ever, considering she'd always lived in an apartment and Sakura distracted herself from the silence by imagining the flowers she could grow along the border of it. Due to how substantial the space was, the centre of it could even be used for warming up for training sessions, or even basic taijutsu.

"Any idea what we should expect for tomorrow?" questioned Sakura, soft voice carrying through the peaceful garden. Kyo momentarily looked to her, seemingly assessing her before returning to his hunting, darting to the other side of the grass until he spotted a prey that warranted his caution. "Will they be mad?"

"Undoubtedly," Itachi answered and she was grateful for his honesty. "They will disagree – some may even try to fight me on my decision."

"Physically?"

"It is only a possibility," he assured her quietly. Holding his cup in both hands, he looked to the stars, features calm and composed. "You may not be aware of this, but many in the clan question my allegiance. They believe I work too hard to Konoha, and not enough for our clan."

Sasuke's snarl of his being forced to leave ANBU and work for the police force flashed through her mind and Sakura resisted the urge to frown.

"But…" The battle to copy his composure was a pitiful failure, her frown breaking through her mask. "But isn't that a good thing? That you work hard for the village?"

"To some," Itachi responded at length.

But not everyone. Shit. That was no good for her mission. If she wanted to find out the truth behind the possible coup d'état, then Itachi had to be _in there._ She needed him possessing their entire trust, to be at the head of each meeting regarding the future of the clan and their plans on how to obtain their goals. Being married to Itachi was useless otherwise.

"Well, we'll…" Sakura shrugged helplessly, trying to smile. "We'll show them."

"Show them?"

"That working hard for the village, in turn, helps the clan too."

His silence was contemplative, and she could see the cogs turning in his mind but didn't question him for answers. She couldn't push too hard, instead taking her time with dragging bits and pieces of information from her husband.

"Will they ever want me to work for the police force?"

He shook his head. "You belong in the hospital. I would not allow them to take you away from your passion."

_Stupid butterflies,_ she snarled inwardly, damning herself for warming at his words. "But what if it _does_ escalate to a fight? Would it be the whole clan against us?"

"Us?"

"You don't think I'd make you stand against them alone, do you?" demanded Sakura with a chuckle. "You of all people should know how badly I'm itching to beat some sense into the elders."

Much to her surprising gratefulness, his responding chuckle had a part of her relaxing. "It is a tempting thought, allowing you to go through with your words."

She raised a brow. "But?"

Itachi sighed and finally looked to her, something in his gaze that she couldn't pin softening. "But I wish for them to accept you, Sakura. Marrying outside of the clan was always deemed as a crime by the older generations – enough so that many were disowned for doing so."

Green eyes widened a fraction, because _what the hell _was that about? Sakura had always assumed that their always marrying inside of the clan was by choice – another show of her ignorance. To hear that people were actually disowned for falling in love and wanting to marry their chosen person was heart-breaking.

"That's so unfair," she murmured, frowning down at her tea. There wasn't much of it left, but they had more in the tea pot resting at Itachi's other side, on a tray to keep it from burning the wood. "Isn't there any way to change that?"

"It's not a law within our clan, however it is treated like one," Itachi explained with another weighty sigh. She wondered if that was how they got away with such a barbaric tradition, by saying it wasn't an actual law, but something that was carried out by the family. "It is why you will find many unmarried Uchiha clansmen who throw themselves into their work, rather than settling down."

Sasuke's sullen expression and often awful moods flashed through her mind. Was that why he never reciprocated anyone's affections? Was it why he always turned his admirers down? Why he never even looked their way? Did he know nothing would ever come of it, determining there was no use in even entertaining the notion of accepting?

That sounded so… lonely.

How many Uchiha lived like that? Alone, because they didn't want to enter a marriage with a potential relative, no matter how distant that connection was? How many drowned themselves in missions or work hoping to escape for as long as they could?

"Then why now? Why change an old tradition like that with their _heir_, of all people?"

"You have heard and seen how the village views our clan. By marrying outside of the clan, we are attempting to show the other villagers that we don't believe ourselves above them. We are hoping that, by doing this, we will be making ourselves more approachable to them."

But it was all lies, wasn't it? What was the point in making an example of their heir, if the rest of the clan was still being disowned or shamed for also wanting to marry someone who wasn't an Uchiha?

"Will that ever change?" she questioned. "The disowning for marrying outside of the clan?"

Another sigh. Itachi took a moment to respond, seemingly organising his thoughts or attempting to find the best way to reply to her and during that moment, he sipped at his tea, savouring the taste.

"The older generations of the clan are traditional and influential, to say the least. Respect goes a long with here, and it is ingrained into the younger generations that we must respect our elders. We must follow them without question, for they are always our superiors."

At least that part wasn't too different to standard life in the village. Every family tried to enforce such a rule at some point. "Then why not make a stand? Why not convince them to see the errors in their ways? It's impossible that every elder in the clan agrees with arranged marriage or forcing relatives to marry and reproduce."

"There has definitely been such a time. However, they will never say."

"But _why?"_

"Because they are loyal to the clan and will do whatever is necessary to preserve the sharingan. If they are told outside genes cannot be mixed with our own, then they will swear by it until their dying breath."

Why were the Uchiha so goddamn stubborn?

Gritting her teeth and needing a couple of minutes to compose herself, Sakura peered out into the garden, eventually spotting Kyo toying with the bamboo fountain. His large paw flicked several times when water suddenly touched it until he began licking it away. It became a routine of sorts when he repeated it for the fourth time – that she knew of. Was it his own strange way of drinking the water? She pondered the idea while continuing to watch him curiously.

"Correct me if I'm wrong," Sakura began, heaving a sigh when she paused. "But aren't you classed as the prodigy of the clan? One of the strongest?" At his almost reluctant single nod, she asked, "Then why make an example out of you and originally demand for us to start trying for a baby after just three months? Why not choose Sasuke-kun since he's also an heir? You're the first in line to become patriarch, after all. It makes no sense to toy with trial and error with you."

"I agree," he said with ease. "It does not make any sense."

Realisation had Sakura observing him closely, stomach twisting with unease. "They're planning something."

"Perhaps."

Damn it.

_Damn it._

"What happens if they are?" she asked unsurely.

"Then we resist," Itachi replied simply.

But for how long? And was it possible to out-stubborn elders? Sakura wasn't so sure. Tsunade got through to the council by _forcing them_ to view the situation from her perspective. She highly doubted that sort of behaviour would be acceptable during a clan meeting.

"There is little point in fixating on what ifs," he continued after her too long pause. "If a problem arises, then we will determine the best way to tackle it. Until then, we should not allow it to cause us unnecessary stress."

Easy for him to say. She was the one on coup d'état watch without knowing what the hell she was even supposed to be doing, or how to get Itachi more involved with the clan.

Exhaling shortly, she attempted to release her stresses and worries along with it, eyes once more drawn to Kyo. If her suspicions were correct, then he relished having a large area to act like a kitten in, though in that moment in time he was searching for the best place to settle down and nap. Well, that was until he spotted a moth that daringly flew over his head, reigniting his hunting mode. The changes in his pupils alone amused her greatly.

"Did you expect this of our wedding night?" questioned Sakura suddenly, cheeks growing warm when she discovered Itachi had already been looking her way.

"It was a possibility, yes."

"Are you disappointed?"

One of Itachi's eyebrows raised at that and he seemed to think it over for a moment, his lips soon curving with a small smile. "No. I feel as though I am learning more about you – I would never be disappointed by that."

He… preferred getting to know her over sex? Sakura decided she could take that one of two ways. Either she accepted the words and allowed them to warm her heart or make her giddy, _or_ she took offence, because did that mean she was awful at sex?

"I'm that bad, huh?" she decided to tease in the end. "For you to prefer sitting here instead of having sex on our wedding night?"

Itachi smirked at that and Sakura felt her momentary worry melting away along with her insides at the sinful look in his eyes. "Since I almost shamefully find myself continuously lapsing in concentration and thinking of it, no. You are not bad at sex."

Regretfully, she had to look away and almost missed the warming of his smile as she did so, her cheeks raging hotly in response to his words.

Were his words true, or was Itachi trying to wriggle his way in just as much as she was with him?

It was working. And she couldn't even feel horrified by it either, because an intense heat was rushing through her, leaving Sakura to feel like she was burning up and it was complemented wonderfully, maddeningly, by a powerful throbbing from below.

"Sakura?"

"Mmhm?" was all she could respond with, eyes heavy when they met with his.

His smirk returned. "Would you like more tea?"

More tea? When her body was already overheating?

What she wanted to do was push aside the tray and their cups without a second thought. She didn't want tea, she wanted _him_.

Instead, Sakura nodded once, suggesting, "Perhaps chamomile this time."

"Struggling to relax?"

_You know I am,_ she thought with an inward whine. "It might help us sleep."

Itachi chuckled at that and stood, tray in hand. "Of course. I will be back shortly."

* * *

They'd stayed up for a further two hours discussing everything and nothing. From her favourite meals to his, from her pet peeves to her pretending to reluctantly agree to being more organised around their home. Anything that could potentially give the other an inkling of how to ensure their house ran more smoothly was discussed in great detail and…

It was ridiculous, but as Itachi had admitted the night before, she found it to be more pleasurable than them merely falling into bed together.

In a way, it'd felt more intimate. As they talked late into the night, knowing that not a soul was around to overhear their conversation, she'd found herself smiling more than frowning and growing almost giddy whenever she made him laugh somehow.

She was walking a fine line and risked entering _dangerous_ territory, but a reckless part of Sakura continuously stated that that was okay. The more real her feelings, the easier it would be to make Itachi fall in love with her and trust her inexplicably. Would she regret it if they discovered there would be a coup d'état? Definitely, however… She just didn't see Itachi having any part in a movement against the village. Not after all they'd shared the night before.

There was way too much that didn't add up, in her eyes and she fully intended on investigating further, though knew that she was at risk of growing biased due to her personal feelings.

Standing calmly to the side of the meeting hall with Itachi at her side, Sakura resisted the urge to fidget as the elders and superiors of the clan filtered into the room. With her back straight and shoulders set, Sakura's hands came together behind her back to help combat the fidgeting.

It was a sizeable hall with the ability to fit the whole clan inside, so with it being a few handfuls of them, she felt outclassed and a slight trickle of dread ran down her spine. With it being so large, they had plenty of room to defend themselves should it boil down to it, though the thought of going up against so many Uchiha, even with Itachi by her side, was daunting.

Alongside the elders was the main family, Shisui, and a surprisingly familiar face that had her almost sagging with relief. From rumours alone (and that one familiar face), she knew the men to be some of the greatest shinobi the Uchiha Clan had to offer. Sakura surmised that they were the ones who were respected enough to have a say in official meetings.

"Itachi," his father greeted.

She didn't fail to notice several gazes lingering on the Uchiha emblem on her arm. Some looked outraged, others unreadable. She wondered what her friends thought, or even Shisui.

"You are terribly bold wearing that."

"It was a gift," Itachi responded with ease.

"From whom?" another asked.

Sakura remained silent despite the anger bubbling hotly in her chest, because Itachi could handle those old bastards and she _knew_ he had her back. So, she was confident in his handling them now without losing composure, even when Shisui and Sasuke looked to them in surprise.

"From myself," he stated calmly, never once breaking his stare from the other man's. "I thought it prudent that, seeing as Sakura is remaining an active kunoichi, she be able to represent our clan just as the rest of us do."

Silence.

Disbelief flashed through Sasuke's eyes, but it was nearly overshadowed with concern and it reminded Sakura that Itachi was also giving many aspects of his life up. But… Maybe she was being selfish, but she just couldn't give being a kunoichi up. She couldn't. Who would she be without that part of her life?

"Sakura is respected by many," proclaimed her former sensei's friend. "Having her representing the clan–"

"Nobody asked for your opinion, Obito."

Green eyes went impossibly wide, the words feeling more like a sucker punch because _what the hell_ did that bastard just say to him? And in _that tone?_ Oh, she was angry. No, not angry. Furious. _Livid._

But just as she made to speak, Sasuke's eyes snapped to hers, widening a fraction with a hidden warning that was telling Sakura to remain silent. Reluctantly, she did so, gripping her arms tightly behind her back with enough force to cause bruising.

"On the contrary," began Shisui with a no-nonsense tone, staring the old man down coldly. It told her he didn't appreciate the blatant disrespect either. "I believe we should hear everyone's opinions before we all jump on Itachi's back about this with biased judgements." Glare disappearing, he looked to Obito, asking, "What were you about to say, Obito?"

Nodding once in thanks but otherwise seeming unperturbed (making Sakura wonder sadly how often he was overlooked or slighted in such a cold way), Obito said, "Sakura is adored by many in the village both due to her connection with the Hokage and her hard work and caring nature. Having her wear the Uchiha crest could earn us brownie points."

"How so?"

"People are comfortable around her in a way they aren't with us," he continued with a shrug. "None of us can deny that there are corrupt members of this clan, but with Sakura wearing the crest, the villagers will see that not all of us are the same."

"Opening them to the possibility of the rest of us having good intentions," Shisui surmised. Then, with a wry smirk, he said, "It would be nice not to be feared and having the victim stammer through their report when they realise that I'm an Uchiha."

Sakura's gaze dropped to the ground.

Previously, Shisui had stepped in and defended her against the corrupt Uchiha men Obito indirectly mentioned, proving to her that he was one of the good guys. Knowing that he was feared as being one of the corrupt few hurt, because from what she'd seen of him and had heard, he was genuinely one of the good ones. As was Obito. But they were being tarred with the same brush.

"Sasuke?"

She looked to her teammate, biting the inside of her cheek worriedly.

"He's just a child."

"What would that make me?" questioned Itachi smoothly. "Sakura is a few months older than he is."

The elder's lips pursed.

She looked amongst the five elders who appeared to be dead set on her retiring, the sight of their weathered and indifferent features striking an awful familiarity as she was reminded of the council Tsunade faced on a daily basis. They constantly questioned her judgements, always hanging over her shoulder throughout every decision or deal. Looking at the Uchiha elders made her wonder if that was supposed to be her life now, or if she was supposed to take a leaf out of her shishou's book and stand up for herself against them.

Not that it did her any good.

"Sasuke?" Shisui repeated like nothing had been said.

"Sakura plays an integral part on our team that we can't afford to lose," he responded blandly, looking only to Shisui.

She understood why when she risked a glance around the room, the disapproval heavy in the air and no doubt weighing down on her teammate's shoulders. From what she could read of them, his mother didn't seem all that against her remaining on the mission roster, though that was possibly her misreading her entirely.

"There are other medics that can be assigned."

_No, there weren't,_ she wanted to snap.

It amazed her when Sasuke took a deep breath like he was having to calm himself – a move that wasn't missed by his parents, who looked to him with what Sakura had to assume was surprise. "There is only one other medic who can fight on the front lines and that's the Hokage, making Sakura useful in more ways than one. Don't make the mistake in believing she is only a medic-nin."

Happiness warmed her heart. More than anything, she'd always wanted people's – her team's – acknowledgement. And she'd gotten it in the best way possible. In front of, and no doubt pissing off, the clan elders.

Nodding, Shisui looked to her, saying, "Your seal is the same as Hokage-sama's, correct?"

"Yes."

"Meaning…?"

Oh. Was she being asked to brag about her skills? To say one of her shishou's favourite lines? "Meaning I can't die in battle."

She stood taller upon noticing a flicker of a proud smirk on several faces, though it was Itachi's in particular that had her determination and demands to be respected strengthening, because _she earned it_ and was sick and tired of being looked down on.

"More than what any of us can say," Obito said with a careless shrug. "I can personally vouch for Sakura's medical skills, too. She's patched me and Kakashi up too many times to count."

"Naruto and myself, too."

Was her proud teammate actually admitting he needed her? Sakura almost wanted to tease him about it, however somehow managed to abstain from doing so.

"Take me out of the equation and people _will_ die," Sakura told them all without holding back, taking Itachi's nod as encouragement to speak her mind. "Both my own team or a temporary team I'm placed on, or even when I'm sent out on retrieval missions – which happens often. Tsunade-shishou can't leave the village. Shizune-senpai is impressive but can't fight on the front lines so could be walking straight into an ambush." Chin raising fractionally in a way she _knew_ was arrogant, she added, "Our village needs me to remain an active–"

"The clan requires you–"

Obito's eye narrowed.

But he was beaten to the punch.

"Why do you feel it necessary to interrupt Sakura when she clearly hasn't finished speaking?" questioned Itachi smoothly, voice never raising because it wasn't needed to know he was annoyed. "You wouldn't disrespect me in such a way."

"We are going in circles," the same elder argued. It took her a moment to realise it was the youngest one again – the one who always had too much to say. She seriously needed to learn their names at some point, she thought to herself. "There are pros and cons to each scenario. Ultimately," he spoke directly to her and she narrowed her eyes fractionally. "You are now an Uchiha and each Uchiha makes sacrifices for the sake of the clan."

His words disgusted her because it was becoming way too evident to Sakura that they'd tried backing her into a corner.

From their hard eyes alone, Sakura could tell that they were done with the arguing. In their eyes, she could see that they never had any intentions of upholding the agreement they'd made with Itachi regarding her future.

Hands dropping from squeezing her arms painfully, her fists clenched tightly and she tried to ignore the stinging sensation of her circulation resuming. Sakura's furious green eyes went straight to the main puppet and Fugaku's indifferent stare boiled her blood, because it was no different from the elders'.

"You tricked me," she said to him flatly.

Sasuke's footing shifted, but she knew he wouldn't force her to remain silent. If anything, he was just as angry – she could see the flash in his eyes that he tried so hard to mask.

Fugaku's jaw clenched.

Up until that point, there'd been an invisible divide between them all and the only ones stood _on_ the divide, torn, was Shisui and Sasuke. Obito had somehow made his way over to her side, like he could sense her building frustration, while the others continued to stand against her and Itachi.

A sigh.

"Is this how it must be, Father?" questioned Itachi softly, stepping up to him and she heard Shisui's breath leave him. It was only then that she noticed Itachi's sharingan activating, the glare cold and unmoving. "You force me into marriage, then have the audacity to act outraged when I honour my vows and defend my wife's future?"

* * *

"_I swore to you that I would do my utmost as heir of my clan to try and keep you an active kunoichi, but it will be one vote against many. Should my father oppose our wishes, then I would have to go against him. That is not taken lightly in my clan, Sakura."_

* * *

Finally, after spending the entirety of their bogus meeting keeping to himself, his arms lowered from their position of being folded over his chest. It was undeniable that he was sensing the angered challenge in the air – they all could.

Sakura swallowed nervously, anger dissipated at the seriousness of Itachi's actions.

_Would a fight break out?_

"What do you think you're doing, Itachi?"

"My wife is a capable shinobi who has earned her titles," he murmured. "I will stand by her as she continues her duties as an active shinobi."

"Itachi–"

But he interrupted the elders by tilting his head in their direction, his deadly eyes eerie as they alone silenced them.

Only when it became obvious that they wouldn't speak, he said, "You asked that I test Sakura – I did. Now honour your side of the agreement. The way you are attempting to find excuses is shameful."

"We are doing what is best for the clan," Fugaku informed them all, his voice silencing the meeting hall.

"What about what is best for the village?" Itachi countered.

The stillness was deafening, her mind screeching to a halt.

"You have already demanded that I step down from ANBU to assist with the police force," he continued with a barely contained anger that stunned Sakura. It was like a whole other side to Itachi that she'd yet to unveil. "Despite knowing what that would mean for the village, I agreed. But I refuse to stand down from this. I won't allow you to weaken the village further due to your selfish desires."

Were they doing it purposely?

Sakura hid the fear and anxiety from her expression, though couldn't help but gape at the opposers across from her.

What was the likelihood of their randomly choosing a kunoichi who wasn't just the Hokage's apprentice, but also the only other medic-nin who could fight on the front lines? After so long of being against tainting the sharingan with outsider genes? Why would they choose her for her skills only to demand that Sakura retire the moment she was married and was officially an Uchiha? After already demanding that their own heir retire from ANBU?

The number of deaths in response to their retirement would no doubt be devastating, weakening Konoha exponentially - and no, she wasn't being arrogant or big-headed.

Itachi was a captain capable of leading several platoons at once, his rational strategic thinking always keeping him a step ahead. He was rarely ever at the hospital for mission related injuries and she truly believed she'd never seen any of his teammates, either.

On the other hand, was her. She could fight and heal people simultaneously. Her body was trained to sense shifts in the air, granting her the ability to sense incoming attacks and evading them successfully. One of two medics who could fight _with_ their team rather than being a last resort, boosting the survival rate. If the council had their way, they would have had her promoted to ANBU the moment she awakened her seal, simply because she couldn't die in battle.

Horror had Sakura swallowing hard and once more folding her arms behind her back, hiding the trembling of her hands as they grabbed at the already abused limbs.

She needed to speak to Tsunade. _Urgently._

"We will discuss your wife's status–"

"No," Itachi said simply, leaving no room for argument. "There is nothing to discuss. I will ensure Sakura remains on active duty and she will continue doing what she does best. If you have any requests or concerns regarding said status, then by all means state them. We will accommodate you, as long as you are not being unreasonable."

Exhaling with relief, she watched the backs of the others as they moved away to talk privately, unable to look at the others when they came to stand around her like they were in their own huddle also. From what she could read of the eldest's expression alone, she knew they were continuing to try and find loopholes until Fugaku sighed and shook his head, arms once more folding as the others listened to him.

It felt like it went on for the longest time.

Straightening whenever she caught heated parts of the conversation as they discussed Itachi's disobedience and her status, often times glancing over at them in a way that made her incredibly self-conscious, she could only look on.

"Why did they even want me here?" questioned Obito with a roll of his eye, leaning back against the plain, stone wall.

"Witnesses on both sides," Shisui murmured in response. Although his back was to the elders, Sakura knew his sceptical glare was directed their way. "That way it seems like what they are doing is fair, even if it's anything but."

She looked to her husband with a hidden frown, concern lacing through her until it knotted horribly in the pit of her stomach at his resolute expression.

There were a lot of concealed emotions and intentions in the room, but his anger towards his clansmen bothered her the most. He was her unknowing insider – she couldn't have him pissing them off by arguing against them, even if it _was_ for her sake, or ostracising himself further, because the information he could potentially unearth would seal either the clan's or Konoha's fate.

With one vital piece of information swimming around in her mind, she returned to staring at the elders with carefully veiled distrust, because _Sakura knew_.

_They were plotting something._

* * *

**A/N - The response to this story is honestly amazing and so motivating. Thank you all so, so much!**

**Oh! I've also updated the playlist for this story. At first I wasn't sure if anyone was even interested in it, but the views on the playlist are crazy too, so thank you all again for that too! For anyone who missed the link, just add this bit to the YouTube url: **playlist?list=PL9HGeX2wrBGvuM14CuBlb0c0BEBiQsCj7


	19. Together, We Move Mountains

**Chapter 17 – Together, We Move Mountains**

Finding a moment to sneak away and report to Tsunade following the meeting was damn near impossible, and Sakura felt herself growing almost desperate to share her findings with her because, quite frankly, she was scared. And that fear must have been obvious, for Tsunade didn't hesitate to respond to her summons (despite it being before dawn) or to perform a sealing jutsu to ensure nobody overheard the report.

"Go on," her shishou urged once the seal was erected around the room.

Resisting the urge to sigh or rub her aching head, Sakura relayed, "Their requests are that I don't partake in any seduction missions or accept any potential promotions to ANBU."

Allowing Tsunade to know how weary she already felt being married when they'd barely reached forty-eight hours since saying "I do" was a major no-no, in her eyes. She didn't want the blonde to regret trusting her with such a delicate mission.

But Gods, she was already exhausted.

Tensions were running high in the clan, especially when people caught sight of her wearing the crest already. They had wrongly assumed she would retire without a fight – expected it of her, even – and seeing her wearing the emblem pissed off the more traditional clansmen. Some stayed quiet about it, but Sakura could sense their disgust rolling off them in waves and attempting to drown her.

It was early morning and the sun was just barely beginning to rise. To not rouse attention further, they chose to not turn on any lights in the office for the duration of their meeting, although Sakura was steadily growing to regret that choice. She'd never been one to fear the dark, but the shadows in that moment made her incredibly uncomfortable, especially if she focused too hard on them, or too hard on ignoring them.

"Meaning you also can't partake in any ANBU missions, including s-ranked missions."

She could only nod, both disappointed in herself for not fighting harder but also grateful she was remaining on active duty. Yes, there were restrictions, but she was still able to go out on missions. She was still helping Konoha.

That was what she kept telling herself, anyway.

They were attempting to box Sakura in by forcing her to retire, to _settle down_ and embrace the married life – another major cause for concern, because if – _if_ – she happened to defy the odds and become pregnant (despite the jutsu Tsunade had tweaked specifically for their cause), then she was useless to Konoha. There were so many different ways they could control her if she was pregnant with their future heir.

It was terrifying. Suffocating, even.

"You're doing well, Sakura," Tsunade praised her. From the seriousness of her grim expression, Sakura knew she could sense the weight on her shoulders, even though she was working so damn hard to hide it. "Keep it up."

Receiving the praise _was_ a motivator, albeit a small one. "They're plotting something, Tsunade-shishou," she all but whispered, too afraid to raise the volume in case it truly set things in motion. "They've forced Itachi to retire from ANBU and want him working solely for the…"

Voice trailing off, she could only chastise herself internally, because _of course_ Tsunade would already know that, what with her being the Hokage and refusing to miss a detail of what was going on in her own village.

A single blonde eyebrow raised and Sakura's heart felt like it impossibly skipped a beat when her shishou said simply, "ANBU is a lifelong commitment, Sakura. It's not as simple as leaving."

Did the elders know that? Surely, they did?

"Does Itachi know that?" she asked lamely, because what the hell was even happening at that point? "Does he know he'll still be partaking in ANBU missions?"

"Of course."

Oh.

_Oh!_

Oh, he was sneaky.

Sakura refrained from smirking as Itachi once more proved to her that he continued to fight the patriarchy. To them, he'd seemingly retired from ANBU, but behind their backs he was still working hard for Konoha. They wouldn't stop him from fighting for his village.

That _had_ to mean he stood on their side, should it resort to a coup d'état. So far, all she'd seen from him was his loyalty and determination for Konoha – he'd been aggravated by his clan's attempts to weaken their village, fighting harder than even she had for her future.

Realisation threatened to make her eyes widen, but Sakura kept her revelation to herself, knowing it was shaky at best. What she needed was more time to confirm her suspicions, to be _certain_ that what she suspected, was true. But…

_What if Itachi was already spying on them? What if he was battling their attempts?_

At most (from what she'd witnessed yesterday, anyway), Itachi was prolonging the inevitable, but even that was a huge step in the right direction for them, because from there, that gave her ample opportunity to discover concrete evidence to give to Tsunade. They would know for certain – there would be no misunderstandings or wrong convictions. Then, she had time to figure out a strategy that wouldn't result in civil war, because they sure as hell would never be ready for that.

_War._

Within her own village.

The thought of them turning on one another broke Sakura's heart. However, she knew she had steel said heart alongside her resolve, because _she_ played an integral part in stopping it.

"Is there anything else you wish to report?"

She looked to the proud woman sat behind her desk, emotions threatening to get the best of her when their eyes met. Tsunade was at just a great a risk as she was, the target on her back becoming more visible now that Sakura was a part of the Uchiha Clan.

_No matter the cost, she wouldn't allow them to hurt her._

"More like questions," Sakura responded, hoping the uncertainty wasn't too obvious in her tone.

"Such as?"

"I can only speculate _why_ they want heirs so soon, but I can't shake the feeling they want me out of commission," she informed the older woman, frowning. "So, what happens when I don't fall pregnant?"

Tsunade hummed at that, her nod telling Sakura she understood and agreed that it was a cause for concern. "There's also the potential they want to have something to hold over you. Are you using the contraceptive jutsu we worked on?" She nodded once. Every day she checked on it, ensuring it was still in full working order. "When you fail to fall pregnant within their time frame, I suspect they will first send a spy to ensure you're having sexual intercourse with Itachi."

Yeah, they'd suspected as much, also. "If or when they demand I undergo a full examination to ensure I'm fertile, would they be able to detect the contraception?"

It was with a heavy sigh that she nodded, hands folding on the desk in the way Sakura knew was to keep her from fidgeting. Clearly, her shishou was agitated with the situation, or found it worryingly risky.

"They won't allow anyone other than their own trusted medics to examine you – a practice most clans follow when it involves inside matters," Tsunade informed her. "You have one of two options. Either you allow for them to find out you're preventing the pregnancy – which I don't recommend you do, as they could view the obstruction as a crime – or you end the jutsu."

End the…

"However, both situations are extremely risky. On the one hand, you could become pregnant." Frowning herself, Tsunade sat back in her seat and rubbed at her forehead. "I never wanted to be a Hokage who told people how to live their lives, but, Sakura, we cannot afford the risk of you falling pregnant."

No, they truly couldn't. It opened both her and Tsunade up to the clan. It'd allow them to manipulate her. And if they used the child or children against her? Gods, Sakura couldn't even imagine the fallout. She would be pissed, sure, but more than that she would be scared and desperate to protect those children.

"On the other hand?" she pushed quietly.

Tsunade sighed again. "On the other hand, a traditional clan such as the Uchiha may still enact punishments from around my grandfather's era."

Sakura's expression fell without her consent. Not that it really mattered, because she knew the colour also drained from her features, telling Tsunade everything she needed to know. And like it would take away the heavy weight that settled on her shoulders following Tsunade's suspicions, green eyes drifted to the window, watching the life that existed outside the office, reminding herself repeatedly that it was for them.

"You mean… honour killings."

"It's only a possibility," she reminded her. "We can't know for certain due to how private they are about internal matters."

All clans were, but none more than the Uchiha and Hyuuga clans. And while Sakura wanted to argue that they wouldn't still go through with those kinds of practices, she knew each clan had their dark secrets. For starters, the Hyuuga clan and their barbaric cursed seal. There was no telling what else was going on behind–

_Wait._

* * *

_"We'll probably hear hundreds of different stories," Sakura told him._

_"Oh?"_

_"I'm leaning more towards we're pregnant and your clan is acting fast before I start to show."_

_Surprisingly, Itachi hummed with amusement and resumed walking, heading in the direction of the venue for their meeting. "Had you not been the Hokage's apprentice, they would have acted fast in other ways."_

_What? Sakura watched after him, horrified until she rushed after Itachi, struggling to keep up. "What?"_

_"Hm?"_

_"What do you mean they would've acted fast?"_

_"Haven't you heard the stories?" he asked, raising an eyebrow at her. "My – _our_ clan is ruthless. We are not against the murder of expectant mothers."_

* * *

At the time, she'd passed it off as Itachi joking around and having a dark sense of humour, but now that she was delving deeper into the elders and their twisted traditions…

In that moment, the darkened office felt overbearing, the shadows cast from the rising sun that was attempting to shine through the windows daunting as they stretched out, looking more like hands reaching for her, attempting to silence her permanently. Her natural instinct was to fight, to _shatter _the hands trying to harm her, but like with their predicament, she found herself unable to respond as she normally would.

It was a game of cat and mouse, so to speak. If she made one wrong move, said one wrong word, then the shadows, the cat, _the goddamn elders_ would pounce on her and take her out.

To them, she was just a mouse who had no idea how to find safety, if it even existed.

But he was trying to show her, wasn't he?

"Sakura?" questioned Tsunade, standing in a show of concern when Sakura took an unsteady step back. "What is it?"

He didn't strike her as the kind who joked about death and the harming of innocents. Call her an optimist or an idealist – whatever. Sakura simply couldn't see someone who was supposedly a gentle person laughing about those kinds of tragedies.

Had he been warning her? Was she looking too much into it? Had she read him wrong?

_If_ it was a warning, then he'd loosely – incredibly loosely – implied the clan's pride and honour. Having illegitimate Uchiha babies or their sharingan tainted with outsider blood would no doubt wound said pride, because those elders were nothing if not totally traditional.

The likelihood that they would enact an honour killing themselves was low. Even if they were Uchiha, they were old therefore, weakened. Their bones were brittle, bodies slower, not to mention they were hardly unrecognisable. If somebody saw them, then it was game over. However, as Itachi had warned her, they were influential and his clansmen were raised to not only respect their elders but follow their every order for they were _superiors._ So, while it was unlikely the elders themselves would carry out an honour killing, they had plenty of corrupt Uchiha – or even just impressionable youngsters who longed for praise and recognition like they all did – at their disposal.

"I think they do, Tsunade-shishou," she whispered, unable to keep the discovery to herself. "I think they still have honour killings."

As much as Tsunade tried to hide it, she saw the older woman's jaw clench. The tightness of her eyes belied the calm on her expression, telling Sakura it unnerved her too, even though she was attempting to remain calm for her sake.

"I'll dig around the archives again," the blonde assured her. Stepping around the desk as she started pacing, Tsunade brought a hand to her lips, biting down on her red painted thumbnail harshly. "I will need some time, however."

Without a doubt she would. Over the years, there'd been countless shinobi who'd gone missing in action or been killed in action, and Tsunade would have to match up the reports of _that_ to the official mission rota. Seemed simple, but Sakura knew it wasn't, not if the wrong person was working in the archives that day and incorrectly filed the reports.

Somehow, without garnering any attention from her own council or the clan (because the former sure as hell were not innocent either), Tsunade would need to interrogate the other members of the teams those who were missing or killed belonged to, to ensure their reports matched up – another major risk. If word got out that she was investigating those deaths or missing cases, then at the very least they would descend on her and demand answers. The worst consequence was silencing her shishou before she uncovered the truth.

"Keep your head down," Tsunade ordered of her. She stopped in her pacing, hand lowering, hovering in mid-air like she was about to reach out to her, to save her from the threatening shadows, before it dropped to her side helplessly because they both knew she was stuck between a rock and a hard place, too. "And do not make any major decisions alone, understand? Even if it seems unimportant to you, come to me."

"Yes, Tsunade-shishou."

"Sakura."

She looked to her, trying and failing to remain in control as more terrifying possibilities piled on top of the already present ones.

"Be careful."

* * *

That morning, she'd returned under the guise of having gone for a run when her husband enquired about her whereabouts (not that she was surprised, since it _had_ been before the crack of dawn that she disappeared). The meeting had gotten to her, Sakura admitted to Itachi with an air of reluctance, rubbing away at the back of her neck to show her uneasiness.

To try and spare herself a difficult to navigate conversation while her mind was so heavily focused on the clan enacting honour killings (because how in the hell was she supposed to talk when she could barely even think coherently?), she slunk away claiming to need a shower. Itachi didn't question it. Nor did he question her at breakfast, when her mind was blatantly elsewhere.

However, during that morning's training session, he'd clearly had enough.

"You're not focusing."

"I'm _trying_–"

"No, you're not," argued Itachi calmly. His approaching her had Sakura straightening, disheartened by her own wandering mind. "You almost had this in our last session and assured me you would be practicing."

And she had. Truly. But after that morning's meeting with Tsunade, she was unable to control her paranoid thoughts, or, more importantly, her chakra due to the escalating worry. Despite knowing exactly how much chakra to utilise to create the fireball, she couldn't do it. They continued to release in the form of smoke, rather than fire.

"This isn't like you," Itachi continued when all she could do was stare at her hands with defeat and annoyance. "What happened?"

Life. Life and his clan and all the shit in between happened.

But she couldn't say that.

While there were training grounds in the district, Itachi surprised her by suggesting they used the ones on the outskirts of Konoha, as a precaution in case they decided to spar afterwards and would need the larger space. It wasn't unusual for them to do so, so Sakura didn't normally argue. However, after her meeting, she couldn't help but question his intentions, to question his every move.

Whether they trained in the Uchiha District or the public training grounds didn't really matter considering their sessions were capable of being spectated by highly skilled shinobi without their knowledge. The chances of there being an eavesdropper was high. So what was the point in going so far?

Glancing around them at the expanse of field bordered by trees that loomed over them, she wondered if she would ever be able to detect even the most skilled eavesdroppers, though concluded that it was highly unlikely. Not without Kyo, anyway. Meaning any conversation she had with Itachi out in the open – hell, even in their own damn home – possessed the potential of being overheard, not that she could really open up to him about the problems she'd discovered.

It was why she'd come to the decision that she wouldn't confront Itachi about secretly remaining in ANBU by finding loopholes in his contract with them – not unless the situation required it, just in case she jeopardised his cover somehow. To him, she would remain oblivious, knowing that his being away on missions also granted her the time necessary to snoop around.

She also couldn't randomly confront him about the elders and their intentions of her falling pregnant. It would seem dubious of her to do so. She had to wait for her moment.

And Sakura sure as hell couldn't share her worries of their honour killings. Yes, he'd dropped hints here and there, but bringing it up out of the blue would create suspicion. She had to continue her mission with the assumption that he was on his clan's side, at least until she had evidence that said otherwise.

A man like Uchiha Itachi was a formidable opponent. A force to be reckoned with. Sakura honestly doubted she would ever be capable of going toe-to-toe with him – not necessarily in battle (she _knew_ she didn't stand a chance there), but in sneaking around, in keeping secrets, in _spying on him_ and his clan. Her guards needed to be raised a hundred and ten percent of the time with a man like him, because his skillset was terrifying. He would catch her out in a heartbeat.

Zoning out the way she was and losing focus, being unable to control her chakra when she usually did so superbly, was suspicious behaviour even to her.

Peering up at him when Itachi came to stand before her, she assessed his features, wondering how she would even begin to investigate his loyalties when he kept everything hidden so expertly.

But now wasn't the time to worry about that, Sakura decided firmly when she sensed he was waiting for her response. Her main concern in that moment was coming up with an excuse for her wandering mind.

"I'm overwhelmed," she confessed, settling on a half-truth.

He gestured to the wooden posts and Sakura followed his example of sitting down beside them, leaning back with a sigh. The field should have been relaxing to her, especially when she heard the sounds of wildlife all around them, but it was impossible to get lost in it all. It simply became noise in her mind.

"With our marriage?"

She chuckled without humour at that, the sound breathy and lasting a second. "Believe it or not, that's the easiest part of it all."

"Oh?"

Did he believe himself to be a horrible person? Sakura frowned and looked to him curiously, only vaguely surprised to find that yes, it _had_ been a concern for him.

"You've been nothing but kind and supportive since our engagement," Sakura assured him with a deepening frown. Had she put any doubt in his mind to make him think otherwise? "I truly think I'm lucky to be married to you, rather than another member of your clan, assuming this would have been my fate from the start."

Something in his gaze softened, though only for a brief moment until he was meeting her eye, saying, "And I, you."

Sakura allowed the heartfelt words to melt her heart, though only a little. "The way you fought for me yesterday morning was admirable," she continued, though sighed when an idea popped into her mind, because _now_ it made sense to address it. "But… something the elders said – or implied, anyway – has rubbed me the wrong way."

"Your duties?"

She was so glad they were running mostly on the same wavelength. It made her less suspicious. "I get they're desperate to show the village that they don't view themselves as being above the rest of them, but…" Grimacing in a show of uncertainty, Sakura continued quietly, saying, "But I don't see why they're being so forceful, you know? Trying to force me to retire so that I can fulfil my duties as your wife to help the clan, rushing into having children before either of us is ready for such a huge step… Don't you think it's risky?"

"Incredibly," he agreed easily. Looking out at the otherwise empty training grounds, he remained in contemplative silence for several moments, leaving Sakura to wonder what was going through his mind or whether he would even continue their conversation. "Which part has you most concerned?"

Which part? There was too much to choose from. "That I'm not ready," she admitted in a hush, shifting to face him fully. "In mind or body."

"You're worried about their reactions."

It wasn't a question, however she still nodded. "What would they… do?"

"They cannot force you to have a child, and not solely due to my refusal of forcibly impregnating you," Itachi informed her. She noticed it wasn't said reassuringly, however. "But they do have ways of manipulating a situation or bending a person to their will."

One of her greater concerns. "And if we do go down the path of having a baby, they…" She bit her lip worriedly. Part of her felt relieved for being able to speak with Itachi so openly, even if it was only a small part of the mess inside her mind and heart, whereas the other part was still wary. "They'd use the baby as an excuse to bully me into retiring, wouldn't they?"

Dark eyes drifted to hers, watching her. "Yes."

Most kunoichi _did_ settle down after having their first child – Sakura knew that simply from her time in the hospital. Throughout the recovery time and the first few weeks with their newborns, they made the decision to retire. Some didn't, of course. Some wished to jump straight back into active duty, but Sakura always noticed how many looked to them with disapproval.

Was it wrong of her to be a part of the latter's group? That she would want to remain an active kunoichi after having a child? Or was the fact she wasn't ready to sacrifice everything really a sign that she wasn't ready to be a mother?

"What if I can't?" she demanded quietly, biting her lip. "What if I can't get pregnant? Or what if I can but I can't handle the mental drain of being a parent?"

Many new mothers (and not necessarily first-time mothers either) often struggled with a postpartum mental disorder, though because that area wasn't her forte, Sakura rarely saw them in the hospital. She'd only seen to them once or twice and that was merely to refer them to a specialist.

"You often fixate on what ifs."

"How can I not when another's life is in my hands?"

Had her carefully chosen words struck him? Sakura believed they did, because silence fell over them, his lips parting ever so slightly in surprise. It felt like he watched her for the longest time, searching her eyes and motives intensely.

Would he share his secrets with her? Tell her his suspicions?

Sadly, it was neither. "We have nine months to find ourselves. If we choose then that we don't feel ready for a child, they can't enforce it."

Hiding her disappointment, she finally looked away. As she'd expected: getting information out of Itachi was difficult, although she wasn't _too_ surprised or frustrated, since that was hardly a real attempt, she believed. However, it _did _make Sakura question how she would get the information.

There was also no comfort in Itachi's words, not when she strongly suspected honour killings were still a thing in the clan.

What were the chances of them enacting an honour killing on their heir? Sakura wanted to say highly unlikely, but if they found strong evidence of Itachi's disloyalty or purposely obstructing the clan's wishes or goals, then it shot up to a possibility. That…

_She didn't want that to happen._

"If we have a child, I want it to be because we feel ready and wish to start a family," Itachi surprised her by continuing, his voice soft and thoughtful. "No child should be brought into the world unloved or unwanted."

No, they shouldn't. Not only was it unfair on all involved, but it was especially cruel to the child.

"And I don't want them to use the child against us," Sakura told him firmly. "To get either of us to retire or to resign ourselves to working solely for the clan."

"You–"

She had him backed into a corner. She could tell from the pursing of his lips when she interrupted him without hesitation, demanding, "When were you planning on telling me they forced you to retire?"

Itachi sighed.

Turning until she was on her knees, she still failed to tower over him in the way she wanted to but made up for it by settling her hands on her hips and narrowing her eyes.

"That's pretty big, don't you think?"

"I am still an active jōnin–"

"But your skills are better suited for ANBU," argued Sakura firmly, unfazed when he met her stare impassively. "You've been fighting so hard for me, Itachi. I could've fought for you, too."

"Do not take this the wrong way," he pleaded and once more sighed. "At this moment, you have no say in clan matters and, in their eyes at least, you are at a disadvantage not only for being an outsider, but also due to your being a woman. It will be harder for you than any previous matriarch to gain their trust and approval."

_Only_ because his words were true and not his own preconceptions, Sakura kept her mouth shut and heard him out.

"While I appreciate and thank you for fighting – or wishing to fight – for me, it would have made no difference."

Not like his say did for her.

Sakura's hands fell from her hips, looking down at her husband with a horrible weight taking up residency in her heart. She wished there was something – _anything _– she could do for him to ease the burden on his shoulders, and knowing she would eventually be pushing him into taking on greater burdens sickened her, especially when Sakura caught sight of a fleeting flash of exhaustion in his gaze.

"At least talk to me about these things," she insisted, more earnestly than she'd anticipated. She surprised herself with the truth behind her words. "I'm your wife now – we're a team. Teammates support each other, right?" Faintly, he nodded, and she offered him a gentle smile. "Then don't bottle it all up. Even if it's just to rant about a bad day, I'm here."

She was completely unprepared for Itachi reaching out suddenly and tugging on her waist, bringing her to sit between his legs, one of which soon bent upwards to act as a support for her to rest against. Instead of using it, however, she opted for leaning her side into his chest, head dropping against his collarbone.

"Thank you, Sakura."

Green eyes shut, trying and failing to ignore the blush threatening to colour her cheeks when one hand remained on her waist, the other settling on her thigh.

It was shockingly relaxing sitting there in his embrace, she noted almost instantly. Subconsciously, she shifted closer into his chest and smiled when the arms around her flexed, tightening.

Smirking languidly as the tension in her muscles left her entirely, she teased, "Who would've thought you were a romantic too?"

His cheek rested atop her head, the sudden amused exhale tickling her scalp pleasantly. "It seems you are changing me for the better," he replied peacefully, and her chest warmed when she felt his muscles relaxing around her also.

"Is that a good thing?"

"You tell me."

Sakura was pleasantly surprised by how much she needed his touch to let go of the stresses weighing on her mind, even if it was only for a short while. It was like his embrace shielded her from the problems of their world, allowing her time to just… _be._

Breathing in deeply and releasing it with a pleased sigh, Sakura told him happily, "It's a good thing."

* * *

"This place is amazing," gushed Ino. Whereas the blonde previously would've dumped the bags filled with storage scrolls unceremoniously on the first surface she found, she became overly cautious of cluttering the serene home she entered, admiring it with wide eyes. "They built it entirely from scratch?"

"Mmhm," Sakura answered distractedly while pointing one of Naruto's clones in the direction of the bedroom.

Smiling when Sasuke entered her home for the first time also, she was pleasantly surprised to find that he too was taken aback by the level of detail that'd gone into designing their home. It seemed it really had been kept under wraps if one of the heirs to the clan hadn't seen it either – for that, she was grateful. Call it an irrational fear, but she didn't really want too many people knowing the ins and outs of her home.

It'd been three days since the wedding, and that morning, Itachi had received a summons to police headquarters for one reason or another (she tried not to pry too much), leaving Sakura with a whole morning with no plans. So, what better way to spend her time than enlisting her friends to help her officially move into her new home while simultaneously showing it off?

Clearly, it'd been designed with the intention of soon becoming a family home, and there were even plans left behind in Itachi's office (that he showed her upon discovering them himself) to add extensions to the building, should they have a few kids. Spare rooms were decorated neutrally or left completely bare and when Sakura first saw one of them, she'd known from the pastel shade on the walls that _that_ would be a nursery. Was it her overthinking? Not entirely, no. Not when Itachi had steered her away from it, telling her not to dwell on it just yet (meaning he'd seen the blueprints and heard the plans)

Even with nine months ahead, the pressure was on for them to conceive. It was like her womb contracted whenever she sensed even an inkling of it.

"Sakura."

Blinking away the depressing thoughts, she looked to her brother-in-law with a frown. "What is it?"

"Where are these going?" he questioned and while she couldn't have been certain, she could've sworn he'd noticed the inner conflict, for his shoulders relaxed ever so slightly when she left her head and rejoined them all.

She smiled softly. "This way."

* * *

Since the sincere moment between them in the training grounds a few days ago, Sakura found herself gravitating towards Itachi (granted, it was technically their honeymoon, even if they weren't going anywhere, so should be forgiven, really). Whether that was a good thing in terms of her mission was unclear, but she could tell he also appreciated the company.

Smiling at the spread she'd created, Sakura fixed the corners of the blanket she'd laid out on the grass, admiring the gentle breeze disturbing both the grass and river.

Walking around not only the district, but the village as a whole, was mentally draining for different reasons.

The villagers had yet to grow used to their being together (let alone married) and still felt it was okay to stand and stare whenever they walked by, like they weren't ordinary people, but instead some kind of celebrity or deity. It was tiring. She'd hoped the wedding would cool things down and show the village that it was for real, but apparently (according to Ino, anyway), they were still awaiting the news of babies.

The clansmen didn't trust her and some believed she shouldn't be married to their heir. They resented the fact she was wearing their emblem, and disliked her walking around the district so boldly. It was mainly the men who felt such a way (more strongly after it became apparent she would remain an active kunoichi), however the women were not completely innocent, for Sakura had noticed a few directing their resentment towards her also. She wasn't sure if it was because of her being married to Itachi and becoming the next matriarch, or because she'd entered such a marriage and retained her status, when the majority of them could not.

"What is this?"

Smiling over her shoulder at Itachi's slowing approach, she gestured to the surrounding area, saying, "I thought we could have a picnic."

It was the middle of the day and the sun was directly above them, its rays intense and unescapable, leaving many to bake beneath it. Even the birds appeared to need an escape from the overbearing heat, for it'd been a while since she last spotted any in the cloudless blue sky.

"Did you interrupt the meeting for a date?"

She smiled cheekily, knowing he wasn't mad in the slightest. "Maybe."

A hand found its way to her waist in a silent thanks for his escape, and Sakura's smile soon became complemented by a faint blush she hoped he didn't see.

Although nothing sexual had transpired between them and showed no signs of happening any time soon, the atmosphere was undeniably intimate. It was an unsettlingly pleasant feeling, one she was pretty sure she shouldn't actually be experiencing considering her mission. However, Sakura told herself that maybe developing feelings wasn't a huge no-no. Maybe it would aid her in deceiving everyone?

"It's not a lot," she warned when she noticed Itachi observing it all, his eyes lingering on one particular container. "But I made sure to get your favourite."

"Thank you."

Whatever the case, feelings were developing and the sooner she accepted them, the easier her life would become.

Right?

* * *

Married life wasn't as bad as she'd believed it to be. Actually, it was better. Much better.

Granted, it'd only been two weeks but he'd already won her over. While still finding themselves in their marriage, they were respectful of one another's personal space and didn't push for more than what either were willing to give. Life was more or less the same really, the only difference being that she lived in a new house and shared a bigger bed with another.

Itachi was naturally an early riser. By the time she awoke, breakfast was waiting for her and in return for his thoughtfulness, she cleaned up afterwards and did a little housework. From there, they would train for a few hours, then go their separate ways to run errands or complete short missions.

The routine was never established – merely something they fell into and had no desire to alter, although sadly life would not allow for it to remain so peaceful.

They'd had two weeks to adjust to married life and now, it was his first day at the police force. The first break in their routine. She wondered briefly if Itachi was anxious for it at all, since Sasuke once informed her it was a path he never truly considered for himself, but soon dismissed it. If he was worried, then Itachi now knew he could confide in her about it, even if it took him a few tries to do so. So after waiting patiently for that moment and it never coming, she'd assumed he was fine with the new role.

Besides, he looked hot in his new uniform.

After waking early with Itachi that morning (telling herself it was purely so she could play the part of a wife warming to her husband and nothing to do with that niggling worry in the back of her mind that he _was_ actually anxious and merely hiding it), she ate breakfast with him – nothing really changed in that aspect, and she noticed the relaxing of his shoulders as they talked like it was every other morning, albeit much earlier than usual.

"Kick some ass," she encouraged lightly while following him to the front door. Hands clasping behind her back, she was the picture of innocence and support, smiling warmly when he looked down at her. "I know it's not what you wanted, but I hope it goes well for you."

"Thank you."

No, Itachi wasn't nervous, Sakura soon discovered after a moment of silently assessing him. There was no reason for him to be, not when his father was the chief and he'd basically grown up with the laws drilled into him. He already knew just as much as any other officer – perhaps more, since she'd spotted him going over a few scrolls to ensure he didn't miss one and correctly read criminals their rights. So, no. Not nervous. But she could see reluctance in his eyes, the same reluctance she'd felt in the few minutes she'd believed he'd decided she was to retire.

It was still unfair that she was able to more or less keep her life, whereas he'd been forced to give up his.

Eyes softening at the reminder of his kindness, she reached up to his chest, one hand settling there while the other reached around him with ease, finding its place at the nape of his neck. "If you need an excuse to escape and sneak away on a mission with me, blink twice."

The relief she experienced at his faint chuckle was brief, but still there. "Watch what you say, Sakura, otherwise I will have our bags packed and ready to leave in just a few minutes."

"That's not a no," she replied with a lilt in her voice, daring to step a little closer to him. When the move was reciprocated, telling her he wasn't against their closeness, her arms slipped upwards, hanging loosely on his shoulders.

"You're quite the temptress."

"That so?"

His only verbal response was a distracted hum, the distance between them closing fully when his lips descended to hers. And she wasn't ashamed in the slightest to admit that she deepened it almost immediately, her tongue slipping through the moment Itachi's mouth opened, sliding along his tongue enticingly. It was a move he blatantly appreciated – she could tell by the way his hands rubbed along her waist until they grabbed at her hips, keeping them against his.

Confusing relief warmed in her stomach at the reciprocated passion, the reassurance that the attraction wasn't one-sided giving Sakura a much needed boost in confidence. After all, it was their first kiss since the wedding. How could she not fret over her husband never making a move on her?

It ended before it truly began, however. Much to her utter annoyance, they were interrupted by a knock on the door, but although their kiss ended, they didn't part from their embrace and she smiled at the warmth she found in Itachi's calm gaze. Apparently, their tender moment had actually helped.

"Good luck today," she told him.

He nodded his thanks. "What are your plans?"

"Training with my team." Pausing and tilting her head to the side, she added, "I think that's Sasuke-kun outside."

"It is."

"How chivalrous of him," she said with a giggle and finally detached herself from Itachi. "All those times growing up where I begged him to walk me to training and he does it now that I'm his sister-in-law." Shaking her head in mock disgust, she added, "How scandalous."

The light continued to grow in Itachi's eyes, much to her gratefulness and it took more hard work than she initially believed it would to hold back her giggles when he opened the front door and said with a cold aura, "She is your sister-in-law, Sasuke."

It was safe to say he was thoroughly confused and unsettled by the fake glare directed down at him, his shockingly open emotions breaking Sakura's control on her laughter. Erupting out of her without restraint, she clutched at her stomach, unable to shake the startled look that shot through Sasuke's widened eyes. Gods, there were only two occasions in their whole time as teammates that he'd looked so affronted and that was when Naruto accidentally kissed him. _Twice_. _Accidentally._

"What the hell is happening?" he demanded.

His only response was a tormenting poke to the forehead, one that caused him to look away with a childish expression that teetered onto the edge of pouting territory.

"Sakura."

With her husband on his way to work for the first time, she headed in the direction of the kitchen and heard Sasuke removing his shoes before following her. "You're easy to tease," she said flippantly, knowing it would get a rise out of him. "You're quite open with your emotions, you know."

"I am not–"

Her smirk had Sasuke cutting himself off with a glare. Rather than fight her on it, he situated himself down at the table and held up his hand without looking her way just as she moved to hand him a cup, making Sakura smile with how well he knew her by now. Then, when she turned to get a start on the dishes, he helped himself to a cup of tea, pouring her another without asking.

With her back to him, she allowed her expression to soften.

Growing up, she'd always worried he would stay at arm's length and while he had in some ways, it was obvious he was trying to make up for that. He'd been a regular visitor since they'd moved into their new home, seemingly enjoying the company just as much as she and Itachi did. And seeing the new side of Sasuke, his being so open with them both, warmed her heart. She never would've seen it coming.

Simultaneously, however, it reminded her of the harsh reality the clan faced, for it was impossible to ignore the reasoning behind his distancing himself. Were they growing closer once more because she was now an Uchiha? Did it mean she'd be able to finally understand, even by the tiniest amount?

When the dishes were done, she sat down opposite Sasuke, thanking him quietly for the tea she immediately took a sip of.

The chances of ruining her friendship with him were just as high as destroying the developing relationship with his brother, should her mission go south, though Sakura was not surprised to realise that the former upset her more. It was obvious why, after all. And even if the outcome _was_ positive, the chances of Sasuke trusting her again – of _any of them_ trusting her again – were slim to none. Her place in the Uchiha Clan was temporary in almost all potential outcomes and there was absolutely no way to protect her bonds from such a fate.

"What is it?" questioned Sasuke, silently informing Sakura she'd been staring for too long.

"Nothing, nothing," she said with a smile and straightened. "Just wondering how much work I can get done before training."

The narrowing of his eyes didn't concern her in the slightest, though she knew he didn't buy her lie. Instead, she worked harder to hide her worrying over what ifs and inevitables, knowing it would only cause problems down the line.

It seemed all she could do was cherish every moment with them.

* * *

**A/N - Sorry for the filler chapter, guys! I'm having a pretty rough time right now.**


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